The Shadow and the Womanizer
by gwnmonkey
Summary: Edward's a womanizer, Bella has a dark past. When she moves to her new town, she meets the Cullens. This is an AU. Vampires don't sparkle and Bella doesn't smell irresistable. Written by my friend Dani. She asked me to post this. Enjoy :P Please RR
1. Chapter 1

BPOV

I woke up screaming. I knew the time without having to look at the clock. It would be exactly 2:09, the same as it was every night. Pete came in, with Ali following. They both sat on the bed and hugged me. My mother had warned them about my nightmares, it's why they didn't look surprised.

My aunt and uncle were really nice. My aunt was slender, tall and quite pretty. My uncle was tall and muscular, with a rugged face that lit up when he smiled. They lived in a high class neighbourhood, they each had a car, and had bought me my own car, since I planned on living with them for the next few years. They had a pool in the backyard, and a house that was so large I frequently got lost. They had no children of their own, but loved me like their own. I had been here three days. This was my third night waking them up.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I murmured through the tears.

"Don't worry about it." Ali said kissing my hair. "We can always try to understand, no matter what."

"You won't be saying that after a few months of being woken up at two every morning." I informed them.

"Hey, are you like an alarm clock that way? Can I reset your timer? I want around six every morning..." Pete started, making me almost smile. I would fall asleep again within the hour, and be alright for the rest of the night. They went back to bed and I did exactly the same thing. In the morning they looked tired.

"I'm moving my room so I can sleep in the basement." I told them. "That way I won't wake you." Pete and Ali began to protest but I stopped them. "Plus I can go swimming every night and not trail water all the way through the house back to my room."

The pool was accessible directly through the basement. It worked out perfectly for me and it let them sleep. I got up and hugged them hard.

"Please?" I asked. They both felt uncomfortable moving me, but they agreed. I looked at the clock behind Pete.

"Crap. I'm going to be late."

I shovelled my cereal down my throat and ran to have a shower. While in the shower I brushed my teeth, using the warm water to rinse my mouth out, and washed my hair and body of the sweat I had accumulated from the nightmare. I got out and got dressed very quickly. A simple black shirt with black pedal pushers, black sneakers and no makeup. I wasn't a Goth. I just liked black. I used to wear bright colours, but they attracted too much attention. Not anymore. Or ever again. I calmly did my hair into a quick French braid and grabbed my bag.

I drove to the school way over the speed limit. I wasn't late anymore. In fact I had ten minutes to spare. I grabbed my iPod and put one earphone in. Beethoven's third symphony rang through the earphone, calming me down. I sat in the car, waiting for the bell to ring. I knew where all of my classes were. I had been shown a map of the school. With a photographic memory it was very easy to learn things like locations on a map. I decided to get there relatively early, so I got out of the car, locking the doors and walked to where the class was. I found it easily. There were six other students in the classroom already. Crap. People who'd want to talk to me. I got the huge stack of books from the teacher. It was English, my favourite subject, so I didn't really mind.

"Isabella?"

"Bella, please." I told him.

"Bella, then. Would you please make sure that you bring the textbook to class every day? The others are independent reading novels, so they are not necessary."

"Okay. Thanks Mr. Mason." I sat down in the seat he pointed to and sorted through the books, aware of the other students looking at me. Bronte, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen – I'd read them all. I owned them all. I dumped them into my bag and slumped forward onto my desk. The students stopped talking and I knew what they were about to do. Three, I counted in my head, two, one..."

"Hello. Are you a transfer student here?" one of them asked. I sat back up looking at the girl. She had brown curly hair, a petite figure and wore very revealing clothes.

"Yeah. I just moved here from Phoenix." I answered. I placed my iPod on the table and searched through the random selection of songs. I found one of Chopin's Nocturnes and played that.

"My name is Jessica." The girl came up and offered me her hand. I shook it gently.

"Bella."

"These are my friends, Lauren," A blonde, with a sour expression under her fake smile. She was pretty, but she could look better if she actually smiled. "Angela," A brunette, with very dark eyes. She had a genuine smile on and was dressed much more conservatively than the other two. "Tyler." A boy with very good looks, but wandering eyes, looked at me. Every inch of me. I pulled the collar of my shirt up, towards my neck, to stop his eyes from straying. "Mike," he was blonde, but much nicer. His eyes were on my iPod reading the song title. He looked up at me and smiled, a nice smile. "And Ben." He was short, skinny, but athletic and he was desperately trying to get a spoon to stick on his nose. I stood and went over to him. I took the spoon, breathed on it, letting moisture stick to it, then placed it on his nose. Where it stayed.

"Yes!" he said excitedly. I almost smiled, letting the corners of my mouth pull up a little. I sat back down. The others rolled their eyes as he showed the other students coming in. The crowd broke away from my desk as soon as the bell rung. I put my iPod on pause and listened to the teacher. He was talking about my favourite scene from Romeo and Juliet.

"Bella?" he asked suddenly. I looked up at him.

"Sir?"

"In your school back in Phoenix, did you have to memorise any of the scenes?"

"Sir, we each got assigned a character and had to memorise their entire part, throughout the play."

"Really?" he asked. I could feel angry glares of people shaking their heads. They didn't want to do that.

"But it was an English/Drama class. I heard that the English classes here are superior in the ways that they actually help to digest the plays and their unobvious meanings." I blurted out. The teacher looked flattered. I could play people easily when I chose.

"What part did you memorise?" he asked curiously. I ducked my head.

"Romeo." I muttered. He didn't hear. "Romeo." I said louder. The teacher raised his eyebrows.

"His entire part?"

"Yes."

"Act II, any lines." He quizzed.

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou her maid art far more fair than she:

Be not her maid, since she is envious;

Her vestal livery is but sick and green

And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.

It is my lady, O, it is my love!

O, that she knew she were!

She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?

Her eye discourses; I will answer it.

I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do entreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O, that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek." I finished in a whisper.

The teacher looked appraisingly at me and then continued with the lesson. I hadn't looked up from my desk since I started. I could feel a blush coming and fought it back. Some students were impressed, most thought I was showing off. Two girls who sat only a few chairs in front of me were looking curiously at me. Trying to decide what I was. They would never learn. Not the whole story anyway. No one _here_ would. I'd had enough stares back home.

I slipped my earphone back in and resumed the Nocturne. The teacher asked a question and I put my hand to my forehead, wiping away a stray hair.

"Bella." He said, looking at me expectantly. Crap.

"Um, could you repeat the question please?"

"What is the common factor in Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and Midsummer Night's Dream?"

"Um, there are a few. One of the more touched upon subjects, is that Shakespeare's treatment of female characters is misogynistic."

I shut up.

I don't even think the teacher knew what I was talking about. But he nodded and drew upon my example for the rest of the lesson. I lay my head on my arms, listening to the Nocturnes I had, trying to ignore the stares. By the end of the class, I was asleep. Thanks to my continually restless nights I had very little stamina during the day. My arm being shook woke me.

"Bella?" it was a high soprano voice. "My name is Alice. You are going to be very late for your next class. None of the idiots in the class wanted to talk to you after your performance, so they left you to sleep." She frowned. I stood up quickly, grabbing my bag and thanking her.

"Where are you headed?" she asked.

"Trigonometry." I sighed. She smiled.

"I hate it too. It's where I'm going. If we run we'll make it." She told me.

So we ran, and we made it, only just. Jessica was in this class too, scowling at Alice, for waking me. I picked up that heavy textbook and went to sit beside Alice this time. I looked at her pixie-like hair, her incredibly beautiful, but pale face, and her black eyes. Her sense of style left nothing to be imagined. They were unusual clothing pieces, but designer, expensive, figure flattering and stunning on her. Alice looked at me with interest too, taking in my simple clothing, my expressionless face and my eyes.

"Mr. Cullen!" the teacher yelled. I looked up to see an attractive boy kissing a girl in the doorway of the class. The girl walked off and he sat down at the side. He had pale skin, just like Alice, moved with the same grace, had the same expensive clothes, and the same black eyes.

"I know what you're thinking 'Oh my gosh he's gorgeous' right?" Alice asked rolling her eyes. I looked confusedly at her.

"Um, actually I was wondering if you two were related." I said. Her expression lightened.

"We are, yes. He's my idiot brother, Edward. I have another brother, an almost sister and a boyfriend too."

"Crowded." I said, my mouth turning up into my almost smile. She saw the weak smile and beamed back.

"You have no idea." The teacher started the lesson then he wrote four complex formulas on the board. I stared at them for a few minutes, then dropped my eyes, flipping through my textbook.

"Aren't you going to write them down?" Alice said, pointing at the formulas. I sighed.

"Photographic memory. It's just what to do with the formulas I don't get."

"Photographic memory? Really." She snatched my textbook away from me. "Page seventeen. The picture is of?"

"An elephant, with angle measurements on the see saw it is standing on. Um, seventeen and twenty four, I believe." She flipped back to the page and looked.

"So close. It was seventeen and forty two. But wow. That is pretty incredible." She whispered. I shrugged.

"It's just something else for people to make fun of." I whispered.

The rest of the class we didn't talk. As the class came to an end, Edward got up and walked over to Jessica. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her gently. He whispered something that made her giggle and then he led her out of the room. Oh. He was one of those guys. The ones who had several girls trailing after them, while they enjoyed playing with all of them.

I had one more class before lunch; Spanish. There was no need to tell them that I spoke four languages. I had a lot of time suddenly thrust upon me a few years back. I tried to occupy my mind in the spare time, so that I wouldn't think about the event. I learned French, Spanish, Greek and Italian. The European languages were very easy to learn. Once you had the basics of one, you pretty much knew the rest.

Alice's almost sister Rosalie was in my Spanish class. She was outstandingly beautiful, with blonde wavy hair and a swimsuit model's figure. She also looked at me with the same, intense probing eyes. At the end of Spanish I followed her to the lunch room. I grabbed a plate of fries and a coke, sitting down at her table, because she pulled me there. Edward sat across from me. At least his eyes didn't wander like Tyler's. Although, judging by his earlier actions, they probably had, just when I wasn't looking.

"Hello." he said holding out his hand. He had a musical voice.

"Hi." I said, looking back down at the fries, ignoring his hand. Just then, another girl, pretty, wearing skimpy clothing, showed up, kissing him. In that moment Alice arrived, holding hands with another cute boy, who had the same pale, beautiful features as the others.

"This is Rosalie's brother, my boyfriend, Jasper." He nodded at me. I felt calm, whereas before, I had felt nothing, except slight nervousness. Jasper held out his hand and I shook it.

"Jazz."

"Bella." They sat, stealing a few fries from my plate.

They didn't eat, none of them did, but they played hockey, with the fries as sticks and a dime as a puck. Edward was staring at me; his latest bimbo had left. A large boy, who looked more like an adult than a teenager; muscular body, deep voice and curly black hair, introduced himself as Emmet and then he sat on the bench, nestling Rosalie in his arms. All of them were waiting for me to speak. I didn't speak, unless spoken to.

"Bella?" I looked up, to see Alice looking at me intently, her eyes searching again.

"How do you like it here? California is a little different to Phoenix isn't it?" she asked. I nodded.

"At least it's still sunny. And I kind of like the school, so far. Very easy layout."

"One glance at the map?" she asked jokingly. I nodded, smiling my almost smile again.

I finished the fries quickly, watching the ongoing hockey game, between Emmet and Jasper. I then excused myself and went to find somewhere quiet, to sleep. I found an empty stairwell and sat on the windowsill, leaning on the warm glass. I fell swiftly asleep, while evaluating myself in my head;

I was an antisocial freak, with some dark skeletons in my closet, who knew four languages, was very good at English, science, and sports that didn't require hand-eye coordination. I could also dance, sing, act, draw and write poetry. But I hadn't done those since the event.

The event. I still called it that. It wasn't an event. It was a traumatic memory that made me lose my father, Charlie. And it was all because of me.

"Bella?" a far off voice called. A shaking woke me up. I jumped and nearly fell off the windowsill. Alice caught me.

"You have no stamina do you? You're going to be late for biology if you don't hurry." I thanked her again and found my locker, grabbing my bag and making my way to the class, wondering vaguely how she knew I had biology.

I got a textbook and because I entered so close to the bell, everyone was already there, staring at me. I got sent to the one empty seat in the class. It was right beside Edward Cullen. I sat and moved my iPod earphone from one ear to the ear closest to him. He seemed to take the hint because he didn't talk to me.

The teacher gave us a lab, right at the beginning of class. He passed put microscopes to each table and a box of slides. We were to identify the different stages of mitosis happening in each of the slides. I set up the microscope quickly and placed the first slide under, adjusting the focus. After a brief look I sat back and closed my eyes, thinking about it.

"Interphase." I said.

He took a look into the microscope and smiled, lifting one eyebrow questioningly. He took the next slide and almost immediately said; Prophase. I touched his hand, trying to get to the microscope to confirm his identification. A shock passed through my skin. Almost like static electricity charges, though different somehow. I pulled my hand back quickly and he pushed the microscope towards me. When he pulled his hands away I looked. It was prophase. I removed the slide and grabbed the next one. We were done in minutes. It was supposed to take nearly all class. So I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep again.

"I wouldn't do that." Edward said. I sat up again.

"What?"

"Fall asleep. Banner," he nodded towards the teacher. "is well known for giving excessive detentions to misbehavers."

"Thanks." I said and instead began doodling on a piece of paper.

I drew a flower I had seen a few days ago, quickly, but well. It was a lily of some kind and it took most of the period to finish. Edward kept staring at me. I had to admit, it was unnerving. So I drew with my eyes closed, mostly, unless I needed to add something different to the drawing.

"How do you do that?" Edward asked.

"What?"

"Draw with your eyes closed."

"Practice." I retorted.

"You seemed sociable enough earlier, with Alice. Why are you so different now?" he asked. I was about to turn around and tell him exactly what I thought about playboys like him, when the teacher tapped me on the shoulder.

"No iPods in class. Isabella wasn't it?" he said. He looked at the completed lab, while I was putting the iPod away, ignoring my correction of my name.

"Edward, don't you think you should've let Isabella have a chance?" he asked.

"_Bella_, identified three of the five." Edward shrugged.

The teacher shrugged and walked off. I sat, pretending I was listening to the teacher. I was actually hearing the rest of the Queen song I had been listening to, in my head. I mouthed the words, watching the overhead projector. Aware that Edward was staring at me again.

"Stop." I said, not looking at him.

"What?"

"Staring."

"Sorry." He said and I felt his gaze leave me.

After Biology I had Gym. I made my way there, well aware that I wasn't going to like what we were doing. However, I arrived on the right week. We were starting rock climbing.

The school here had everything new and expensive. They had two weight rooms, three pools, a permanent rock climbing wall, three gymnasiums, two baseball fields and two football fields.

The gym class consisted of us sitting getting a lecture on rock climbing. I barely listened. I had done more climbing than the instructors, I'd wager. I knew knots that you weren't supposed to use, but worked better, I knew knots that you were supposed to use and worked badly. I knew how to climb a wall tilted at an almost parallel angle to the floor, while the climber hung on, upside-down like a spider on a ceiling. We had straight walls, safety equipment and foam mats. I'd be fine. I could probably climb the wall with my eyes closed.

Then school ended. I walked slowly, after everyone had already rushed to go home. I got to my locker and organised my books. I then made my way to my car. My iPod was in my pocket, instead I put on a CD in the car. It was a very unknown band – Enigma – and the music was halfway between rock and ambient. I loved it. I sat listening to the CD in my car and then heard a tap at my window. It was Alice.

"What are you, some kind of stalker?" I snapped. Then my hand flew over my mouth. I took two deep breaths and tried that again. "Sorry, you just surprised me. I don't get many people wanting to be my friends, nowadays."

The hurt look that had momentarily crossed her face disappeared.

"I'll be your friend based on your answer to the question I'm about to ask you." She said, though I could tell that whatever my answer, she'd be my friend anyway.

"Shoot."

"What do you think of my brother?" she asked. I knew who she meant, but played it dumb anyway.

"Emmet is really great. He's kind of scary, but fun looking." I said. She glared. "Edward you mean?" I thought carefully about my answer. I didn't want to offend her, but I didn't lie either.

"As far as I can tell, he's a good-looking jerk, with no respect for women's feelings and every respect for the lack of clothes they wear." I said, carefully. She laughed in response.

"I knew I liked you for a reason! You can actually think clearly around him?" she probed.

"Yes." That was a little lie. Every time I stared into his eyes, I lost my train of thought. So I stopped looking into his eyes, thus, retaining my thought process. Alice looked overjoyed.

"Awesome! I'll see you tomorrow Bella!" she said and bounded off, with a grace that belonged on a runway.

I drove home, confused by her reaction. When I got home, Ali and Pete weren't there, so I began to move my stuff down the stairs on my own. I actually got finished; I didn't have that much stuff here. So I went to sleep. I woke up around six, when Ali and Pete got home. I decided to make them dinner; fajitas. They did the dishes after, thanking me. I liked the extremely spacious kitchen. All of the rooms had high ceilings and very open layouts, but the kitchen had a cold, hard feeling to it that I liked.

"So how was your school day?"

"Great. I made a few friends." I said.

"Who?" Pete asked, casually, though I could see he was worried about me fitting in.

"Alice and Emmet Cullen, Rosalie and Jasper Hale." I said, remembering their last names.

"They're good kids." Pete nodded, approvingly. "How about your classes? I heard you didn't like gym."

"Back in Phoenix, no I didn't, but here, for the next few weeks we have rock climbing and then swimming, and I love those, then I think we're on to dancing."

"So you're not good with balls then?"

"Just the hand-eye coordination." I shrugged. "Hey, I have a lot of homework, but then I'm going to swim for a little, is that okay?" I asked. They both nodded. Ali kissed me, hugging me hard.

"Do you need help moving your things?" she asked.

"No, it's already done." I said.

I did the little trigonometry homework I had, but it took me a while, because I couldn't keep my eyes open. I then swam. I swam from eight until ten; nonstop lengths of front stroke, side stroke, back stroke, until the pool lights came on. The lights came on at ten, if someone was in the pool. So I got out and heard them shut down, I dried off, climbed into bed and fell asleep.

I was walking through the crowd, towards the coat room. The music was blaring in my ears. I needed the ten bucks I had left in my coat pocket. I was rummaging through the masses of coats, trying to find mine when he found me.

"Bella, my love. I was looking for you!" he said. I looked at him. He was much older than myself, and I didn't recognize him.

"Sorry, do I know you? Are you a friend of Charlie's?" I asked. His muscular figure was covered by a white shirt. I could see an odd design on it. It was splattered with what looked like red paint.

"That freak is gone. He wouldn't tell me where you were. I got worried about you." As he moved closer, I began to smell the blood.

"What do you mean gone?" I asked, my voice rising in hysteria.

"To hell, where the freak belonged." He said, opening his arms and moving towards me.

I tried to run, but he was faster and stronger. I tried to fight, but he was on top of me, his hands groping at my body. Being so gentle yet rough, cautious yet intrusive. I tried to scream, but my dry throat, and the loud music covering the sound made it impossible to be heard. He knew it too.

After he was done with me, I was too shocked to move. I had been hurt beyond belief; mentally, physically and emotionally. But all I could think about was Charlie. I ran out of the room as soon as he was gone. I drove home and got to the house, the door was open and there was blood on the floor as I entered. I slipped and fell landing on Charlie's body. His eyes were open, staring into mine. I screamed and screamed and screamed.

I woke up screaming again. I sat up and opened the back door, leading out to the pool. I sat on its edge. I splashed my face with pool water. I tried to slow my breathing. As I sat calming myself I had that eerie feeling of being watched again.

"Snap out of it Bella." I heard myself say. "You're getting paranoid. No one is up at two in the morning. Except you. Always you." I shuddered and stood, wiping my face.

Despite my efforts, I still ran inside, scared of whatever was watching, if something was watching. I was too awake to go back to sleep, so I cracked into my trig homework again. I caught four mistakes I'd made earlier. I finished it all and then took a shower. The hot water loosened the tight muscles and helped to relax me. I was on the other side of the house, the furthest possible place from Ali and Peter, so they heard neither my screaming nor my shower. I towel dried my hair and grabbed my iPod, finding Chopin's Nocturnes and falling asleep. When I next awoke, it was six o'clock. I began to make Ali and Pete breakfast and they came down, looking more rested than they had yesterday.

"Better?" I asked, smiling. My first small smile since I'd got here. They hugged me.

"Very. You didn't sleep too well though did you? You still look tired."

"Two-oh-nine till three thirty I was up."

"Why?"

"I had a shower and did my homework again. I had tons of mistakes."

"Oh, baby." Ali cried. She felt guilty. So I put my cheeriest attitude on.

"After breakfast I'm going to get dressed and drive straight to school okay? I want to meet Alice before school, talk with her a little. Get to know her." This seemed to cheer both of them up significantly.

I left my hair down today, sliding on a blue-black tank top and a black skirt. It was knee length, nothing flashy, but it swayed when it moved. I slipped on a pair of black shorts underneath and slid my black sneakers on. I got into the car and plugged my iPod in, letting it charge. I drove slowly to school today, listening still, to Enigma's Cross of Changes.

I got to the school and was elated to see that only one other car was here. Alice was arguing with Edward. She looked livid, scary even. Still talking. I had learned to read lips, mostly because I wanted to know what the whispers and rumours were about in my old school. When I found out it was me, I had stopped trying to read lips.

_...six or seven girls trailing after you._

I missed his response; he was turned away from me.

_You are ridiculous Edward. I don't care if you want to 'get to know' her._

_Whatever your reasons, stay away from her Edward. She's healing. From what I don't know, but she doesn't need you trying to play her like you do the others._

_Yes you do. You play them. You play with them._

She saw me and took a few deep breaths. Rosalie, Jasper and Emmet climbed out of the back of the car. They came over, rubbing their ears.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"Those two can really scream if they want to." Jazz sighed. I started to feel uncomfortable, staring at Alice's expression and then Jasper put his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him.

"Take it easy, they always do this. Today it's about ethics, yesterday it was music." I felt calmer when I looked at him, even though I knew the conversation was about me. Alice came out of the car next, looking pleased.

"I won that one." She announced. Emmet sighed and handed Rosalie a ten dollar bill. I stood there, not quite knowing how to react.

"Black again?" Alice asked looking me over. "I love the tank/skirt combo, but some colour would be nice!"

"I don't like coloured clothing. It says too much about someone."

"Black counts as a colour." Alice pointed out.

"I thought it was a shade." I retorted. She looked as though she was about to get angry with me, but she sighed. Emmet was the next to speak.

"Are you okay? You always look tired." He said circling his eyes with his finger, indicating that I had black rings around my eyes.

"I don't sleep well at night. I sleep better during the day." I shrugged.

"What are you a vampire or something?" he laughed, but there was a subtle change in his eyes when he said the word vampire. I ignored it.

"No. Maybe I just don't like the dark." I reasoned and began to walk off. I randomly sat in the middle of a patch of grass and lay back, absorbing the sunlight.

"Do you dance?" Alice asked suddenly, sitting by me.

"What?"

"You have a grace about your movements, you walk on the quiet parts of your feet and you sank very easily to the ground, without wobbling."

"And all of this indicates that I'm a dancer?" I asked, incredulously. I had to watch her; she was very observant. She smiled.

"Well, no. But it would make for interesting conversation." Alice said. I sighed.

"I don't like lying, so if you ask intelligent enough questions I will answer truthfully."

"Do you dance?" Alice repeated.

"I used to. I quit about two years ago."

"Why?"

"Because my heart wasn't in it anymore." I answered truthfully, yet evasively. Charlie loved it when I danced. I couldn't dance a single step after his death. His murder.

"What kind?"

"Not answering. It's a stupid question." She pouted and I smiled. It was more confident, but still not quite a smile.

"Did you finish your trig homework?"

"Yes."

"Can I see it? I like to check my work against other people's. You can do the same."

I stood and went back to my car.

Edward and Jessica were kissing, leaning against my car door. I waited for them to notice me. They didn't. I looked back at Alice and she got up looking angry. But I had my own idea. I hit the panic button on my car keys. The alarm sounded and both of them jumped, breaking apart and moving away from my car. Jessica glared at me.

I shrugged and grabbed my schoolbag from the car. Walking back to Alice who was laughing.

"I like you! I like the way you deal with things!"

"You don't need to protect me, you know."

"What?"

"From your brother. I don't want people arguing over me."

"You heard that?" She asked looking at me carefully.

"I have good hearing." I answered evasively.

My hearing was good. But not that good. We dropped the subject as I placed my book beside her. We had nearly identical answers, but she and I had rounded differently. I rounded to two decimals, she rounded to one. We both walked to English, while she talked about random events. I listened intently; for some reason, I felt happier around her and her family, well most of her family, because they were different. They were nice, cautious and mysterious. They were also hiding something, what it was I didn't know, but they were hiding it. Something to even the playing field between us.

At the beginning of English I talked to both Rosalie and Alice. I then tuned out again as the teacher started to explain an essay topic. I wrote down the topic and then my thesis, my points and some examples I remembered from the book. That was today's lesson and tomorrow's done. I began my outline of my essay and by the time the teacher was done explaining how to construct a thesis, I was done it. The bell rang. I worked more slowly in trig, and, with Alice's help, understood a great deal more than the teacher had explained. In Spanish I slept. When the bell rang, Rosalie poked me, and pulled me, in my zombie like state, to the lunch table. I slept there too until Alice asked me if I'd eaten anything.

"Not hungry." I replied and fell asleep again. The bell rang and I managed to stumble my way to biology.

"Are you an insomniac?" Edward Cullen asked.

"If I was that, would I be trying to stay awake now?"

"At night, I mean. It's the only reason I can think of that would make you sleep so much during the day."

"Mind your own business."

"Tell me, does this antisocial attitude reflect on everybody or is it just me?" he asked. I turned to stare at him, avoiding his eyes.

"Just you."

"Why?"

"Because, from what I've seen, you are a shallow, uncaring man-whore, who plays around with his little girl-toys, messing with their feelings, confusing them, and then cheating on them, right in front of their eyes. They won't say anything because you're so 'perfect' the fact that you chose them at all astounds them. I will not be one of your toys. I will not be materialized, possessed like some piece of designer clothing you happen to like one day and drop the next. You are an evil person because of what you are doing to them, and I hope karma comes back to hit you. Hard."

He stared at me with his mouth open.

I put both earphones in my ear, slid my iPod down my shirt and pulled my hair around my face. The teacher couldn't see it, and now I didn't have to listen to him, or Edward.

I sat, listening to Enigma, I was too angry for classical, but I wanted to stay calm, so I avoided the heavy rock. Edward sat, angry, paralyzed and confused all period. When the bell rang, I walked off to go to the rock climbing gym.


	2. Chapter 2

BPOV

I stared after her, in shock. It wasn't true, was it? Did she really think that? It was impossible to tell. I couldn't hear her thoughts, like I could everyone else's. She remained blocked, a mystery. She had seemed to dislike me from the moment she came, and now I knew why.

Alice had said that she was going to be interesting. I had seen the visions of her in the hospital, me kissing her gently. How the hell was that ever going to happen? The girl despised me. Everything about me. She could think clearly around me and when she spoke, venom entered her words.

Jasper had said that she was always nervous, half relaxed and always feeling a primal kind of fear and sense of self-preservation. It made no sense. She was hiding something, yet being very open. She only spoke when spoken to.

According to Rosalie she was really good at Spanish and English. I could tell she was very good at biology. Maybe she was a wonder child with an IQ of 170 or something. I had to find out. Her lack of expression and humour confused me. She was always asleep. She had the iciest attitude towards me, and yet, I was captivated by her. I barely noticed that the class had ended, but stumbled my way to my next class anyway. I watched her through Alice's eyes for the entire period.

The entire gym period I was so bored. We were learning how to tie the knots for the different parts of the harness and rope lines. I sat on the ground, making every knot I knew how to. Some climbing, some ship knots, slip knots, devil's knots... I was practically asleep. The instructor saw that I wasn't paying attention and decided to pick on me. His mistake.

"Isabella isn't it?"

"Bella."

"Bella, tell me what are you doing?"

"Debating with myself sir."

"On what?"

"Which knot to use."

"The Eight knot is the one we're using."

"Yes, but it doesn't hold up so well if someone is dropped a while then suddenly stops. I've ruined enough equipment using that knot sir. I was thinking..." I showed him, since I had no idea of the name. "This one. Sturdy, strong, easier to adjust when you're climbing, if necessary." He looked at the knot.

"Where do you climb?"

"I used to climb on the escarpment in the Olympic Peninsula, then on the walls of an extremist gym."

"You'll want to climb a lot then?" he asked.

"No. It's not challenging enough. I'll probably just anchor." He nodded approvingly and went on, letting me continue my list of knots. Alice and Rosalie looked at me, shocked. I ignored them, blushing despite my best efforts not to. Halfway through the class the first people started climbing. I was true to my word, acting as an anchor to them, making sure their lines weren't twisted and that they felt relatively safe.

"Push away from the wall as you're coming down. You don't scrape up your knees then." I instructed the guy I was helping. I let him down a lot faster than was necessary and he looked pale when he got to the ground. I unhooked him and let him go, waiting for the next person. I called Alice over. She shook her head.

"I can't stand heights."

So Rosalie went next. She was nearly as fast as me, but when she got to the top, she slipped and crashed into the wall.

"You okay Rose?"

"Let me down. Please!" she yelled back. I dropped her down, quickly, stopping her abruptly near the end. When she was back on her feet I checked her over.

"Did you scrape against the wall? Got any bruises?" I asked. She smiled back.

"No I'm okay, but thanks. I'm glad you're the one helping me."

"Your rappelling is really good for a beginner."

"I had no choice; you go really fast."

"Sorry." And I did something I hadn't done in a while.

I hugged her. I never hugged anyone outside of my family. She noticed my hesitation and cautiousness and hugged back, gently. The next person to climb was Angela. She was nervous, so I helped her out by practically pulling her up the wall. The tension on the string never relaxed, thus helping her to feel a little safer. She got halfway up then slipped. I could tell by her face that she was terrified. I brought her back down, slowly. When she got to the bottom she was shaking and flexing her fingers.

I grabbed her hand and rubbed comforting circles, relaxing the muscles.

"Do this for a while, you'll feel better." Soon, everyone was coming to me for advice. So I let someone else anchor, finding a good spot to relax. Alice came and sat beside me.

"You need to try and climb at least a little." I told her.

"One condition." She smiled. I was instantly cautious.

"What?"

"Sleepover."

"Alice, I've known you for what two days?"

"Please? Friday night. It won't be just us, there will be Rosalie, Jessica, Angela, Lauren, Jasper, Emmet, Ben, Tyler, Mike and Edward.

"There are boys going?"

"They're sleeping upstairs. We get downstairs."

"I..." I had no reason not to go. "I'll have to ask Ali and Pete."

"You call your parents by their first names?" she asked.

"They're my aunt and uncle. My mom and step-dad are in Phoenix." My father is rotting away in Forks' cemetery. I didn't say that. I thought it though, and she probably saw my eyes darken.

"Oh. Okay then. Well, can I have your phone number? That way, Carlisle and Esme can talk to Ali and Pete, and then we'll be set."

"Write yours down, I'll call you." She disappeared and found a pencil.

She wrote her phone number on the wall. I stared at it for a bit, closing my eyes and making sure it was imprinted. We then rubbed it off and Alice threw the pencil across the gym. It hit one of the instructors. He looked around furiously but couldn't find the source.

"Did you hear?" Rosalie asked as she came over to us.

"Hear what?" Alice replied.

"By Friday this class will be co-ed."

"What?" I asked.

"Boys and girls. That means that Edward and Jasper will be in our class!" Alice seemed elated and jumped up, dancing with Rosalie.

"Great. Yet another class to try and avoid him in." I muttered to myself.

That night I called Alice's house and got Ali and Esme talking. I did all of my homework as soon as I got in, and cooked dinner again for Pete, Ali and myself. When they came in, I talked a little with them, and we ate dinner together. I smiled a lot more now; they were far too welcoming not to be comfortable around them. I fell asleep right after dinner waiting to wake up at two in the morning again. I did, screaming as usual. I got into the pool, with my pyjamas on, to cool off. When I got back out I sat, shivering, in the warm night air. I dried off and had a shower, aware that it was about 2:45. I went back outside again, grabbing my bicycle. I rode for a little, regretting only owning dark colours. I was cycling along a road, and it was dangerous to wear black at night. I kept pedalling, not knowing or caring where I was going. I eventually came to a beach, after about an hour and stopped.

"Bella. What are you doing?" I asked myself.

"I was about to ask the same question." A velvet voice said behind me. I whipped around to see Edward, dressed in jogging equipment. He was breathing a little heavily, but not sweating, despite the heat.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"This happens to be part of my property." He said, pointing towards a house on the ocean's edge.

"Well I'm sorry for intruding." I grabbed my bike and turned it around.

"Is this why you're so tired during the day? You exercise vigorously all night?" he asked, scrutinizing. My temper snapped.

"It is none of your business why I'm so tired during the day. You have no right to care about me. Why the hell are you running at three in the morning?"

"I couldn't sleep. I was hoping a run might exhaust me." He smiled, shrugging. I was so glad I couldn't see his eyes properly. His smile dazzled me enough. I forced myself to get onto the bike and began pedalling away.

"See you." He called.

I could hear the smile in his voice. As I was cycling back, I paid even less attention to my surroundings. I barely noticed that I was straying from the side of the road into the middle of the lane and back again. I didn't notice that I was going so fast until a car's headlights appeared, frighteningly close. I lost control of my bike, trying to swerve out of the way, and felt the bike and me be tugged out of the path of the car. On the side of the road I tumbled, my bike twisting around me. I heard harsh breathing.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Edward asked. I lay there for a moment, thinking.

My bike hadn't been going towards the side of the road. I was headed straight for the car. I had felt a strong, cold hand grab my waist and pull me and my bike out of the path of the car. I had also been going far too fast for Edward to keep up with me, let alone save me.

"Bella? Can you hear me?" He asked. I could feel the bike being lifted off of me. Edward's concerned face appeared in my vision and I blinked, confusedly.

"How the hell did you do that?" I asked.

"Do what?" he said innocently, but his eyes were loaded with anger and caution.

"Two things. Keep up with me and then save me like that."

"I run quickly, and you saved yourself, I was behind you and saw your bike swerve. I thought you were going to hit that car you know." He said, but his eyes were filled with pleading now. He was hoping I'd accept the story.

"You weren't anywhere near me, and my speed would've left a marathon runner behind. You pulled me out of the path of the car. How?"

"I didn't do anything of the sort." He snapped angrily at me. "It's dark, and you've obviously hit your head or something." I sat up, ignoring the throbbing in my head.

"I haven't and you are lying."

I stood, brushing the dirt off of me, and realised that my arm had been badly scraped against the tarmac. I pushed past him, grabbing my bike, finding the chain disconnected. I fixed that and noticed four indents on one of the bars in my bike. It looked like the bar was made of Play-Doh and someone had squeezed it, leaving finger impressions. There was no way a human could be that strong. Or maybe I had hit my head too hard. Maybe this was a dream.

"Bella, I'll call my father, he's a doctor, he can take a look at your head."

"You will do no such thing. I'm going home." I retorted and began to pedal, slowly this time; my head was really killing me. Edward was running beside me, keeping pace easily.

"Bella-"

"Leave me alone!" I yelled back.

He stopped, and dropped out of my vision. When I got home I had another shower, to try and wash off the dirt and blood. My arm was pretty badly scraped, and my head was killing me. I got a few Advil and tried to sleep, but my head was buzzing with unanswerable questions. How had Edward kept up with me? How had he pulled me out of danger? How was he strong enough to damage my bike? Why was he so desperate not to tell me? Was he lying about being up at three in the morning? I got no sleep for the rest of the night.

I had breakfast quickly in the morning and went to look at my bike. There were no dents. But I also knew that this wasn't my bike either. It had the scratches I had come to know and recognize, but there were a few differences.

Last year, a child had stuck gum in the chain, it ruined the gears. There was no gum, and the gears were fine. One of the handles could slide off easily before. Now it took some effort. When I finally got it off, I looked for the fuzzy ball I had left inside, it wasn't there.

This wasn't my bike. It was an exact replica, with scratches and paint chips where they used to be, but it wasn't my bike. Someone had switched it. Why, when and how I could only speculate. It was most likely a cover-up of something. The incident maybe? Why would someone not want proof that Edward had bent the bar of my bike? Precisely because he had bent the bar of my bike.

I drove to school carefully, trying to ignore the pain echoing through my head. My iPod and car stereo remained off. When I got to school Alice and Edward were arguing, with the help of the others, but this time, Alice and Edward were arguing on the same side. I, instead of walking to them, found my locker and the Advil I had stashed there. I swallowed two, dry and walked slowly to my first class, trying to focus through the pain. I had had a concussion before, so I knew that this wasn't nearly that severe, it just hurt. But the Advil did help. I had already finished my English essay, so I decided to skip.

I waited until everyone was in class, then slipped into my car. I had left an alarm clock in there, from a camping trip a while back. I set it for an hour later and fell swiftly asleep.

I was cycling down the school hallways, at night, looking for something. I could see Edward and Alice at the end of the hall, shouting at each other, but I couldn't hear them. All of the lockers opened and suddenly I was underwater. I was in my backyard pool, with my pyjamas, my head breached the surface and I could hear a beeping.

I woke up, to the alarm clock beeping. I shook off the strange dream away and grabbed my trigonometry book. It was one class I couldn't afford to skip. I got there just as Alice did.

"Where were you?" she asked. She looked worried, cautious, as if afraid I'd bring up what happened last night. She wasn't there, but no doubt Edward had told his sister what happened.

"Sleeping off the Advil." I shrugged and we walked into the class together.

"Advil? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Before your brother saved... I mean... _found_ me, I knocked my head. It's not serious, it'll go away by tomorrow, but it aches today." She stared at me and an unspoken conversation occurred.

She knew that I wasn't going to accept what Edward had told me. She knew I wasn't going to push for anymore answers. I knew she knew the truth. I knew she wouldn't answer if I asked anything. After a minute of staring at each other, respect and gratitude filled her eyes. I wrote, with pencil on the desk between us.

_Tell him thank you._

_For finding you, you mean?_

_Of course. And for the new bike._

She scowled at me and I smiled back. It still wasn't a proper smile, but it was enough to brighten her mood a little. In Spanish I slept, listening barely to the teacher before falling asleep. She asked me a question, I could hear it, as if through water. I knew how to answer, I just couldn't be bothered to move. A meter stick slapped the desk beside me, making my head hurt with the sudden loud noise. She repeated the question angrily, when I didn't move.

"Después de pasar el puente." I replied, still unmoving. She sniffed and stalked off, asking different questions to the rest of the class.

I slept until lunch. I was too hungry not to eat, but too tired to eat. I grabbed a slice of pizza and quickly ate it, lying my head on the table as soon as I was finished.

"Bella, you are a waste of a good bench spot." Emmet laughed.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"You skipped English today didn't you?" Edward asked. I decided that he didn't warrant an answer.

"You skipped English today didn't you?" Rosalie repeated.

"Yeah. Leave me alone! I'm trying to sleep!" I protested. They laughed and let me be, for a few minutes.

"So are you coming to the party on Friday?" Jasper asked.

"Yup."

"Sweet." Jasper said something else, but I didn't catch it.

My head decided to act up, and flashes of pain swept through me. I didn't realise I had fallen off of the bench until I was actually being shaken on the floor.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. My head just hurts a little." I said. When I stood up, I realised that nearly everyone in the cafeteria was staring at me. I excused myself and found a spot to sleep, close to Biology class. Edward found me right before class. He gave me a gentle shake, smiling at me while I scowled at him. I went to class and tried desperately to stay focused. Mr. Banner was talking about a project.

"You and the person you sit beside are going to be working on a major lab for the next few weeks. I will assign each of you different materials and instructions, over the next few days. You will complete a full write-up of the lab, and answer analysis questions at the end. You will start next Monday, we have another lab and some material to cover first."

"My house or yours?" Edward asked courteously.

"The school. We'll see how much material we can cover during lunch hours."

"We can talk about it this weekend." He shrugged. I scowled. He was the one part I wasn't looking forward to this weekend. I sat, listening to the teacher drone on, until Edward interrupted my silence again.

"Why did you move here so randomly?"

"What?"

"To California. You move in the middle of the school year, for no apparent reason."

I looked at him, and regretted it. His beautiful butterscotch eyes were searching mine intently. I was compelled to tell him the truth, or at least some of it.

"Phil travels a lot. My mom wasn't happy staying home with me, so I moved." To Charlie's, in Forks. Then the incident happened and I moved here instead, to escape the memories. Not that that was possible, with my nightmares. I didn't say that. His eyes could never make me tell that truth.

"Don't bite me or anything, but why do you sleep so much during the day?"

"I... don't sleep well at night." I shrugged. He continued to stare at me, with intense fascination, as if I were a three headed turtle or something.

"Stop."

"What?"

"Staring."

"Déjà vu."

I rolled my eyes and found a blank piece of paper. I thought about drawing. I wanted to draw, but I'd end up sad, reminded of Charlie, or something similar. So instead I began writing our lesson down in Greek. Edward seemed to understand it because he randomly tapped my page. I glared at him, then looked where he'd tapped. There was a grammar mistake. I erased it quickly and changed it, scowling when he smiled. At the end of Biology he swept Jessica into a brief kiss and I pushed past them both, heading to the gym. When I was changed, I didn't bother to put a harness on. I wasn't climbing.

Instead, I spent the period giving people advice, the boys mostly, because they had joined the class today. It was Thursday and I had already proved my knowledge to the girls for two classes now. Mike and Ben needed desperate help. Tyler also kept calling me over, but I soon realised that my advice was not what he was looking for. I helped Ben begin climbing, letting him know exactly which rocks he should grab. He managed to get all the way up the wall. Mike needed less help with the climbing. Tyler needed no help at all, but pretended he did. I practically dropped him to a foot above the floor before I stopped his descent. This had all the girls laughing. After school finished I went home and slept. I actually didn't have much homework that night, so I slept until Ali and Pete arrived.

They wanted to take me to dinner properly, so I got changed quickly and we went out. I was in a black skirt and a dark red, form fitting shirt. It was probably the most expensive shirt I owned, at a grand total of 60. Ali's hair tie cost more than that. I had borrowed a pair of Ali's shoes, red flats that complimented the shirt beautifully. We talked for a long while over dinner, until Pete and Ali suddenly jumped up.

"Billy, Jake! So good to see you. How have you been?" Two guys came over.

"Hey." The younger guy was about my age, with long black hair, tied back into a ponytail. He had russet coloured skin and deep brown eyes. As we looked at each other, recognition flickered across both of our faces.

"Bella." He whispered. Billy looked at me, and the same shocked expression came over his face.

They sat across from us, and despite their best efforts at normal conversation, I could hear them treading on eggshells. I excused myself, whispering into Ali's ear that I was taking a cab home, because I felt sick. She nodded and rubbed my arm. She wasn't stupid. She knew why I was leaving.

When I got outside, it was actually raining.

"Billy and Jake brought Forks' weather with them, clearly." I decided to skip the cab.

It would take me an hour to walk home, but it was an hour I needed to clear my head. I took off Ali's shoes, slipping them into the bag I had brought, and made my way carefully down the road, toward my new home. Billy and Charlie had been good friends, Jake's older sisters I had played with as a child. They knew what happened. Not the rape, no one knew that part, so I hoped. But they definitely knew about Charlie's murder.

It began to pour about half an hour after I started walking. I was soaked through to the bone and enjoying it. Just then a silver Volvo pulled up beside me.

"Need a ride?" It was Edward. Alice and Jasper were in the car too. I stopped and considered it. My feet were actually beginning to hurt; the road had more and more gravel over the tarmac.

"I'll ruin your upholstery." I warned him. He laughed as I slid in. It was nice being in the dry.

"So you actually own colour?" Alice said. Scrutinizing my dark red, soaked, shirt.

"This is about the extent of it."

"Well I think it looks fantastic." Alice smiled. I shrugged and looked back at her and Jasper. Jasper was air guitaring to his iPod tune. I smiled. It was my first real smile. I actually showed a little teeth. Alice was overjoyed as soon as she saw it.

"Where do you live?" Edward asked. I told him the street name and number and suddenly we were driving. He shot down the road, faster than I would've thought possible.

"In a hurry?" I asked, trying to keep the blatant fear from my voice.

"No. I always drive like this." I looked at the speedometer and my stomach flipped.

We were going at ninety miles an hour. I tried to remain calm, and look indifferent, but clearly Edward must've seen some discomfort, because the needle inched down towards eighty.

"I hate driving slowly." He muttered. I opened my mouth, to retort and decided that my voice would break if I answered him. We slowed and stopped and we were outside of Pete and Ali's house. The rain was calming down.

"Where are your shoes?" Edward asked. I patted my bag and looked at the clock. It was nearly eight o'clock.

"Ooh. Bedtime!" I whispered enthusiastically. Edward and the others had no idea if I was being serious or not. "Night guys. Thanks, by the way." I got out and walked around back, knowing that I had no key, and that the back door was open.

I slipped into the house and decided to sleep, as soon as I sat on my bed.

When I woke up screaming, I was mostly dry, but my comforter had absorbed a lot of rainwater. I threw off the wet clothes and grabbed my swimsuit. I swam, quietly, for an hour, and then decided to sleep again. I would've swam longer, but that nagging feeling of being watched was eating away at me. I slept in, missing breakfast. I grabbed an apple on my way out of the house and drove to school. Alice was waiting, buzzing with excitement. She couldn't wait until tonight. It wasn't until lunchtime that I remembered my birthday.

Alice was talking about the date, it being mathematically special or something and I remembered my birthday. It was tomorrow. I nearly spat out the salad I had been chewing. Instead I tried to swallow, and ended up choking. I was coughing pretty hard until Emmet whacked me on the back. It helped and I was able to breathe again.

"Wrong hole." I lied and stared at my salad.

I tried not to wince as I was eating it. No doubt my mom and Phil would've sent presents and Ali and Pete would've gotten something too. I hated people spending money on me. I didn't deserve it. I slept at the table while the Cullens and Hales talked about the sleepover that night.

My head was feeling much better today and I was able to concentrate more in biology. Edward and I were given a lab about making a polymer using Borax, PVA glue and water. We were making putty. Edward and I only had to agree on a colour.

"Blue. Black. Green." I suggested.

"Blue is fine." He shrugged.

"What?"

"Red is also very cool."

"And with the PVA glue, it would turn pink." I pointed out. He scowled.

"True. Blue it is." That was the only thing I said to him all period.

He walked behind me to the gym. I harnessed up, only to help rappel. The teacher told us what our next two units would be.

"Swimming, starts next Thursday and dancing will follow two weeks after." Groans flew around the class. "Now, get climbing. Here's a challenge for you. Pick a colour of rock and stick to it. Bella? Would you like to demonstrate?" I hadn't been paying attention and he knew it.

"Sorry sir? Could you repeat that?"

"Colour coding. Climb one would you? I believe you would enjoy red." Red was the second hardest.

I slipped on a helmet and the instructor acted as my anchor. I stared at the wall, picking my path, then began to climb. I wasn't too fast; the rocks were well spaced, and for a few I really had to stretch, or let go of a rock I was holding to. When I got to the top I hit the bar, hearing a metallic ring echo out, thanks to my ring. The instructor let me down as quickly as I did to others, but one deft push away from the wall brought me down with one swift movement. I landed and undid the knot. I could hear cheering; Alice Jasper and Rosalie were clapping for me. As was Tyler, and Mike and a boy named Eric. I sat down again, blushing.

"How can you stand the height?"

"Think of something important that you like."

"My credit card."

"No, how about my iPod? You've been bugging me for a list of my songs all week, right?" she nodded. "So, on Monday I'll climb again and put my iPod at the top. You have to climb next. If you get it you can borrow it for as long as you need it. If not, you aren't allowed to bug me about it again." She considered it and I heard Edward snicker behind me.

"Deal." I shook with her, and was then called away to help someone. Monday could be interesting.


	3. Chapter 3

BPOV

"So what's so interesting about her?" Emmet asked. I sighed in exasperation.

"Have you not noticed the changes?"

"What changes Alice?" Rosalie asked.

"She came to the school, not smiling ever, not speaking unless spoken to, wearing all black, and rarely making eye contact. At first I thought she was shy, or antisocial, but after a minute of staring in her eyes I knew it was more. Jasper even said that she was strange, always ridden with fear, guilt and annoyance. Edward can't read her mind, for some reason, and that annoys him. She's also done nothing but blatantly reject our stupid womanizer, and it is driving him crazy. Jasper said that Edward doesn't even realise how attracted he is to Bella." I shook my head. "Sometimes Edward surprises me. He has every girl in the school and he wants the one who hates him."

"You were saying?" Emmet interrupted.

"Right, she's now wearing colours, albeit dark ones, she voices her own opinions, smiles a little, and makes eye contact."

"She doesn't have a sense of humour." Rosalie said.

"She does, it'll just take her some time to properly show it. Jasper says that the fear has become less prominent, but the guilt and annoyance are stronger than ever. He keeps trying to calm her down, but then all she does is sleep.

"She's also super smart. Rose, you said she was correcting the teacher?"

"Under her breath, yes. I was trying so hard not to laugh."

"Edward said she's great at Biology and she's incredible in English. Trig is her weakest subject, but she's still above average."

"So she's interesting, I don't see why you're infatuated with her."

"I've had three major visions of her so far. I'll try and explain. In one, Bella is in the hospital with a sling wrapped around her shoulder. Edward is there and she won't stop scowling at him. Jessica is there, looking furious. Edward keeps apologizing for something. She then starts complaining about handing in a lab and Edward laughs at her. She throws something at him and then orders him out."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"The second one, she is sleeping, in our house, in Edward's bed."

"A little stranger."

"Then the third, she is lying in a hospital again, battered and bruised. Edward kisses her, she kisses back, then he mutters something. She smiles and says two words; 'Stupid Vampire.'"

This had Rosalie and Emmet recoiling. It was our most kept secret.

"We have to get a few of the mysteries cleared up."

"She also knows, about the whole bike incident. But she won't push any of us into anything. She's so confusing!" The two of them agreed. We now couldn't wait until the sleepover. It was then that I saw her climbing. I called Edward quickly.

After school I stayed behind, to clean up a little. I also wanted to try something. I wanted to try yellow, the hardest level. The instructor stayed behind, and I climbed up, aware that it was only me and him in the gym. If I ever got stuck, I asked him to help. He'd direct me to where I needed to go and I eventually got to the top. I hit the bar again and swung down, exhilarated.

He hi-fived me, then left me to clean up, he had a phone call to take and the reception in the school sucked. I took off the harness and looked once more at the wall. I wouldn't go blue, blue was easy level, but green could be fun, if I didn't have a harness. So I dusted my hands with chalk and put my iPod in. Animal I Have Become started pumping through my ears. I breathed slowly, feeling the adrenaline rush. I began to climb then, fully aware of the danger. If I slipped at the middle I would end up in critical condition for weeks. If I slipped at the top, I'd see my father soon after. I climbed higher and higher until I got to a difficult spot. I cheated, using a yellow rock to get to the green rock. When I got to the top I didn't hit the bar. I looked back down, only to see a furious Edward standing at the bottom of the wall. I sighed and used one of my hands to turn my iPod up. I then began my descent, using any rocks I could.

Descents were harder. If Edward hadn't been there, I may have avoided the slip. I was three quarters of the way down, about six feet above Edward's head when I got to a smaller rock, my foot slipped and I crashed into the wall. A jagged rock hit my rib and I let go for a moment. Very safe thing to do when wearing a harness. Not so safe when not wearing a harness.

I fell and Edward caught me, gently and with surprising speed. He looked livid as he ripped the earphones away from my ears, throwing my iPod out of my reach.

"Bastard." I yelled at him. He set me on the floor, kneeling beside me.

"Do you have a death wish?"

"I was fine!"

"Until you slipped."

"Yeah, and from that height I would've, oh gotten a bruise on my ass maybe?"

"You are ridiculous. What was it? An adrenaline high? Are you on drugs? Or are you _that _desperate to avoid the sleepover?"

I slapped him. He let go and fell backwards as I took no notice of the pain in my hand. I crawled away from him grabbing my iPod, then put the last few ropes away, ignoring him, although he was still sitting there. I pushed past him and got changed. When I got back out he was still there, looking murderous again.

"For your information, I don't have a death wish. The most potent drug I have taken willingly is morphine, when I broke my arm and my adrenaline was exactly where it usually is." He was about to retort when I walked away again.

"And I _was_ looking forward to the sleepover." I drove home, still furious.

When I got home I packed for the overnight stay and then submerged my hand into the ice bag in the freezer. My ribs would be bruised too. The adrenaline was wearing off and my head was beginning to hurt. I lay down and fell asleep, on the kitchen floor.

I woke up to Pete shaking me. He was laughing.

"You need to eat before you leave for the sleepover."

"Wh..What time is it?"

"Nearly seven." I sat up and he pulled me to my feet. Ali looked worried.

"Are you sure you want to sleep over? With your nightmares and all..." she started.

"It's alright Ali. I'm going to skip sleeping tonight, that's why I was trying to catch up now. At least until after two o'clock. Then I might fall asleep." She hugged me. Pete broke the seriousness again.

"Would you like us to move a couch in here? We can put some in the bathrooms too, so you could sleep in every room in the house!" I actually chuckled. It was the first time I'd chuckled in nearly two years.

"I think I'll be fine." I hugged them both and slipped a microwaveable meal into the microwave. After that I brushed my teeth and got my bag. I hadn't packed a pillow or blanket; the less comfortable I was, the more likely I'd be able to stay up. I heard a knock at the door.

"That's my ride."

It was Edward, scowling at me, clearly he had been forced to come.

"On second hand I think I'll walk." I said, so that Pete and Ali couldn't hear me.

He smirked unpleasantly at me and I said goodbye to my guardians. I got into his car without another word. He sat beside me and started the car. The gentle purr of the engine calmed me a little, letting me feel more confident in what I was about to say. He pulled out of the driveway and began driving, much too quickly.

"Edward?" I asked, my voice barely a murmur. He didn't respond. I reached over and placed my hand on his arm. He looked at me, confused.

"Thank you." I was staring into his eyes. "That's twice now." I said, smiling at the twice. His eyes narrowed infinitesimally. We stared at each other for a while and then I let my hand slip off of him; there was an electricity flowing between my hand and his arm, that scared me.

"Let's not try for a third time?" he asked. I grimaced at that. He laughed.

"How are your ribs?"

"Fine. My hand hurts more." I said. I could feel a bruise forming from my wrist, stretching over my palm.

"Sorry." He said.

"You're sorry? You possibly saved my life and the only thing I did in return was hit you. How do you think I feel?"

"Tired." He laughed.

My good humour vanished and I got out of the car. We had stopped at his house and I was immediately knocked back by the sheer beauty of it. Edward held the door open for me and I was immediately swept up into a hug.

"Hey Alice." Jessica, Angela and Lauren were there.

Angela and Rosalie at least looked happy to see me. I was shown the house, which took ten minutes; it was larger than Pete and Ali's house. I was then whisked into a room where everyone was already talking. I grabbed a handful of popcorn and faced Ben. He knew what I wanted immediately. It was really easy to play with him. He caught nearly every piece I threw at him. He tried to do the same thing back, but I missed every single piece.

"Wow. You're crap." He said admiringly. I smiled, showing full teeth.

Soon everyone was trying the popcorn game. Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmet and Edward watched while the rest of us kept being silly.

When we were out of popcorn a huge argument started up. Alice wanted to do karaoke. Jessica wanted truth or dare. I wanted to go swimming, but never voiced it. Jasper wanted to watch movies. Edward wanted to play sports. Angela sat with me.

"I want to go swimming or something." She whispered conspiratorially.

"Me too." I whispered back. Eventually Esme came in.

"Do all of them. Just decide the order. So what is up?"

"Karaoke, Truth or Dare, Movies, Sports."

"Swimming." Angela said for me. Esme wrote them all down.

She then put the paper on the floor and found a stray piece of popcorn. She threw it and it landed on swimming.

Alice explained the rules as I submerged myself into the water. The rock was about two hundred fifty meters out.

"Swim to it, around it and back. First one back gets to pick the next game." Emmet was already out there.

He would be judging, making sure people actually swam around the rock. Edward and Alice were on two points of the beach, judging the winner. Rosalie and Emmet had been called away by Carlisle and Esme. We lined up and I took eight deep breaths.

"Go!" Alice yelled and we were off.

Ben was really good. He and I were immediately tied for first. I didn't see the others, but I knew that they weren't near us. We swam, arms brushing occasionally, to the rock and around. He pushed over me, forcing me under momentarily, but I regained control and swam under him, appearing in front of him. I kept swimming, strongly, enjoying the thrill of easy victory when I saw Lauren go under. I veered off and dove down after her.

She had dropped her necklace at the bottom, but was now caught in a plant of some sort. She was struggling wildly. I calmed her, by kissing her, breathing what little air I had into her mouth. She nodded her thanks and stopped. My lungs were bursting for air as I cut her loose. She swam up, and I grabbed the necklace. I pushed up from the bottom, inhaling water as I went. I got to the surface and coughed up the salty liquid. My hand was clasped solidly around her gold necklace. I was so busy trying to expel the water from my lungs that I wasn't swimming. I fell under again. The next thing I knew, Emmet had grabbed me and pushed me up to the surface. I coughed up more salt water and then swam back to shore, so quickly that it wasn't funny.

When I got to the beach I threw up the last of the water. Lauren was being held by Tyler. I threw the necklace at her, spraying her with sand.

"Eww! Bitch." She snapped as the sand flicked down her swimsuit.

She picked up the necklace as I stared at her incredulously. I shrugged Alice off. And sat, in the warm sand, burping up seawater.

"I mean. Thanks. You like, saved my life, or something." She said and then dismissed me.

After I was sure I had no water left in my lungs I stood and walked back in, mostly to wash the sand off. Edward muttered 'Death wish' again, and the others looked at me incredulously.

"Washing the sand off." I explained, stood back up and grabbed my towel from Alice. Her face looked shaken.

"I'm fine. So did Ben win?"

"Only cause you saved Lauren." He said. "You would've won."

"But I didn't. So what game did you pick?"

"Um. I dunno. Movie I suppose?" he said, smiling at me.

"Great. I need to sit down for a while." I said, still breathing heavily.

When we got to the house we were taken to a room with a massive television. It took up an entire wall. It had a kind of screensaver on it that made it look like it was an aquarium. Then the movie debate started. We ended up with Alien.

It was the one movie I had never wanted to see. I sat down and buried my head into Alice's shoulder.

"Wake me up when it's over." I whispered and lay down on a vacant sofa, putting a pillow over my head.

I was asleep within minutes. I actually heard none of the movie. It was about ten-twenty when my dream started.

I was walking through the crowd, towards the coat room. The music was blaring in my ears. I needed the ten bucks I had left in my coat pocket. I was rummaging through the masses of coats, trying to find mine when he found me.

"Bella, my love. I was looking for you!" he said. I looked at him. He was much older than myself, and I didn't recognize him.

"Sorry, do I know you? Are you a friend of Charlie's?" I asked.

His muscular figure was covered by a white shirt. I could see an odd design on it. It was splattered with what looked like red paint.

"Bella!" I was woken up. The movie was done.

"You talk in your sleep." She said, matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"You said; 'Sorry, do I know you? Are you a friend of Charlie's?' Right before I woke you up."

"Alice, you have impeccable timing." I said.

She frowned confusedly and I shook my head. I wasn't ready to explain. Not yet. She shrugged and we began to start the next activity. It was a game of Ultimate Frisbee. I sat out, saying that I was still feeling bad from the saltwater. The truth was, I couldn't play anything that involved hand-eye coordination. Carlisle, Alice's dad came out to check on me.

"Are you okay? I heard you had an incident in the ocean."

"_Lauren_ had the incident." I retorted.

"But _you_ swallowed all the seawater." He replied just as fast. I smiled; truce.

"Are you feeling cold? Sick? Can you breathe alright?"

"I can breathe perfectly. I don't have any water left in my lungs, I could feel it earlier but I've upped it since then. My throat is a little sore, so I may have to skip karaoke." I said, looking overjoyed. He laughed. He sat with me watching the game progress.

"You don't look old enough to have all these teenagers."

"We adopted. Alice, Emmet and Edward are siblings, as are Rosalie and Jasper, but they all seem to be content living with us."

We watched Alice make a spectacular catch.

"You live with your Aunt and Uncle right?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"My mom and step-dad travel a lot, and I didn't want to, so I moved."

"From Phoenix to California? Surely you must've had a closer relative." He asked. I flinched.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry."

"No, it's okay. Um, first I moved to the Olympic Peninsula, to live with my dad for a while. It didn't work out, so I moved here."

"Washington is still pretty far from Phoenix."

"Yeah. But, I like the weather here much better." Carlisle patted me on the shoulder and stood back up, going inside.

"Tell me if you feel sick alright? I've heard that you seem to be an accident magnet." I scowled at Edward as his father walked away.

It was nearly midnight and I was getting extremely tired. I stood up and walked inside, determined to find my iPod, trying to keep myself awake. The others followed shortly after. I sat with a few country songs, rock songs and music from the fifties, sixties and seventies blaring through my head. None of them were making me feel sleepy, so I was fine. I held back two yawns.

They sat and we started truth or dare. The boys went upstairs for their game, girls and guys mixed tended to make people less honest and less willing to complete dares.

Alice asked first.

"Angela; truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"You and Ben are going out."

"True. We've been going out nearly all year, but we've gotten less careful at hiding it now." She admitted, blushing. I smiled, I couldn't imagine the quiet, mature Angela with the immature, childish Ben, who I had once helped stick a spoon to his nose. Angela looked at Lauren.

"Lauren; truth or dare."

"Truth."

"You aren't chaste anymore." Angela asked. Lauren blushed and buried her face into a pillow.

"True. It was the day before Bella arrived. Tyler and I just got carried away." She laughed.

"Alice; truth or dare."

"Truth." She replied quickly.

"You and Jasper are 'active' in that way."

"True. So are Rose and Emmet though." Rose threw a pillow at her. "So we know Rose, Lauren and myself are on one side of the fence. Angela and Jessica are on the other, Bella is the only one sitting on top." And I intend to keep it that way. If I admitted that I wasn't chaste, the next question would be who, what or when. I wasn't going to tell that.

"Bella. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Alice scowled at me, then smiled, in a way that scared me.

"I dare you to not move a muscle for the next half an hour, despite what we do to you." Crap. I'd fall asleep if I did that. I sat up straighter and glared at her.

"Fine."

She squeaked in happiness and then the girls got to work. They had all brought different cosmetic equipment and bottles. Alice brought out a hair brush and a straightening iron.

"Crap." I sighed and turned my iPod up, while they talked about what to do to me.

Alice ran the brush through my hair so fast that it made me cry. Rosalie wiped away my tears and started on my makeup. Angela and Lauren were painting my nails and toenails. Jessica was picking out an outfit for me. Alice started straightening my hair, after running twelve different products through it.

Rosalie was doing my makeup in mostly natural colours. Jessica was choosing a very sparkly tank top and white jeans. Angela and Lauren had both decided on French manicure style. The beauty stylists all finished and then Jessica held out the outfit. I smiled and didn't move a muscle.

"You said I can't move."

"Well then." Alice said, she came up to me and began unzipping my jeans. "We'll dress you."

"Okay! Okay!" I grabbed the clothes and walked into the closest washroom.

I slipped them on and then sighed; I looked pretty. I hadn't wanted to look properly pretty since Charlie died. Looking too good attracted unwanted attention. I still didn't know his name. I know that he had fled, and was never caught or charged for Charlie's murder. I had given the Police a sketch of the murderer, which was all they had to work with. I wiped away a few tears before they could ruin the mascara. I stepped back out and was immediately met with praise.

"Oh my gosh!" was said eight different times, in very high octaves. I sat down and blushed.

"Jessica; truth or dare." I started.

"Truth."

"You stay with Edward, even though you know he's cheating on you." I stated. She looked guilty and hung her head. It took her a while to answer. Her voice shook.

"True. I just feel lucky to have any of his attention. And when I'm around him, anything he says is intoxicating, I can't dump him, he is way too perfect." Just what I thought.

I nodded, adding Jessica's statement to a list of reasons to hate Edward I was compiling. I had enough reasons to like him; he had saved my life twice, always treated me courteously, never spoke unless he needed to, offered me a drive home when I was walking in the rain... But he was a player, a womanizer, who was clearly hurting all the girls he was playing with, he was smug, secretive, a liar.

"Bella, truth or dare?"

"Truth." I said without thinking. I winced and waited.

"You have a huge M.O.A.S. don't you?"

"A what?"

"Mother Of All Secrets."

"Yeah, I do." I admitted after a long pause.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What is it?"

"One question per." I reminded her. Now they were all curious. I had to avoid every truth question thrown at me now. And now everyone was desperate.

"Rosalie. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." She said.

"You really shouldn't have said that. Come on." I stood and took her to the kitchen.

I grabbed the pepper bottle and told her to stick out her tongue. She did reluctantly. I poured black pepper all over her tongue and then dared her to swallow. She looked like she was about to cry. She swallowed, and regretted it. She began coughing and coughing and coughing.

I grabbed her a glass of water and she drank it, trying to clear her throat of all of the pepper. I tried not to laugh. This dare had been done to me, and it was extremely uncomfortable. Jessica, Alice and Lauren were laughing. Angela looked sympathetic. Rosalie disappeared and we heard her throwing up.

"Ouch. I'm going to pay for that later aren't I?" I asked Alice she nodded. Rosalie came back out, after ten minutes, looking much calmer, but evil.

"Truth or dare Bella?"

"Dare." Rosalie smiled and grabbed a magic marker. She got me to take off my shirt and she drew six lines, on the exposed areas of my breasts.

"Take this, and get each of the boys to sign." She said. I winced. I grabbed the marker and knocked on the door of the guys' room. They opened it and I laughed outright. It was my first laugh in a year and it was well justified.

Emmet was wearing a dress, a red, sparkling dress, with heels, a handbag and jewellery. I tried to contain my laughter and then remembered all of the boys staring at me.

"Right. I need you all to sign me." I handed Mike the marker first, he was the closest and lifted up my shirt.

"Um. On the line?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

I nodded, blushing furiously. It tickled. He handed me back the marker and I moved to Tyler. He took much longer than he should've, and I was painfully aware of it. Next was Jasper, who was fast.

"Was this Alice's idea?" he asked. I shook my head. Emmet signed next.

"It was Rosalie right?"

"I deserved it, after what I did to her. Her dare was physical pain, this is just emotional pain."

Ben signed quickly and nervously.

I moved on to Edward and suddenly chickened out. He was staring at me, his eyes locked with mine, and I could see the humour, longing, hatred, and disapproval in his eyes. I handed him the marker and he considered it.

"Why would I do this?"

"Because if you don't I'll be forced into another dare, probably worse than this one. And because I'd kill you." I added.

He smiled wryly and stood. Edward signed gently, quickly, then handed me back the marker and sat down again.

"By the way. You look stunning." I pulled my shirt back over myself and then walked out. Trying to clear Emmet's apparel, and Edward's statement from my mind.

Rosalie was overjoyed with the fact that I had actually completed the dare. They laughed at the signatures and I went to a bathroom to clean it all off. I had plenty of bad dares left in my mind, and I was willing to hit all of them hard. This game could go on for a while. I would win. I came out and dared Alice next.

We all looked out of the window, watching as she walked up to her next door neighbour's house. She knocked and waited. When he opened the door she did exactly what she was told to.

"May I borrow an ice cube please?" The neighbour retrieved an ice tray and she took the ice cube and shoved it straight down her pants. The neighbour looked completely appalled and confused as Alice walked away. When she got in she started jumping around.

"Cold! Cold! Cold!" she ran to the bathroom as I laughed. That was my second laugh that night.

She got me back good. She dared me to sing every song I was told to at the karaoke game next. I had to give in. Right before we were about to call it quits and get the boys, Edward came down, looking extremely embarrassed and annoyed. He randomly walked right up to me and kissed me. He then apologized and ran off. I stood there in shock. Alice and the others were laughing.

I had been watching her all week. Literally. Even when she slept. The horrible nightmares that woke her every morning scared me, and I knew nothing about them. She talked in her sleep, the same lines every night. Some nights she would swim when she woke up, others she would do homework. I wondered how she was going to escape the nightmares tonight. Then I noticed how adamant she was about not sleeping, and not answering truth to any of the truth or dare questions.

When she walked in, embarrassed, to ask for our signatures I had to regain my self control. Her skin was so perfect, flawless, smooth. Tyler's thoughts as he looked at her were revolting, to the point where I almost hit him. As I signed, I tried not to touch her, but the same electricity passed through any points where I did. She was beautiful. And I told her so. She pretended to ignore me, but I heard the increase in her pulse.

Shortly after, they dared me the worst thing they could possibly do.

Emmet looked at me with an evil grin.

"I dare you, to go downstairs and kiss Bella. Straight on the lips." If my heart were beating it would've stopped. Tyler and Mike both laughed and told me to. I wanted so badly to comply, but knew that she would most likely hate me for eternity if I did.

"I..." I began.

"You are going to do it. Or we'll get you harder." Images of all sorts of tortures entered their heads, and I grimaced, watching each scenario they thought of, before they had said anything.

"Fine." I snapped.

I stood and walked out, taking a few deep breaths before I entered the room. I focused only on her face as I walked up to her. I rested my hands on her cheeks and kissed her. Our reactions were explosive. Her blood boiled, her pulse quickened, her adrenaline shot up. I could feel the electricity burning my lips as they touched hers. Then I pulled away.

"Sorry, it wasn't my idea." And I walked away, far too quickly.

_Wow Edward! You may have just shocked her into speechlessness._ I heard Alice think.

If only I could hear Bella's mind. Jasper was laughing too when I came back.

"They want to do karaoke. It is 12:30, so we should probably stop anyway." I informed the others.

We all came downstairs. Emmet, Jasper and myself were in the fake pyjamas we had bought, specifically for occasions like these. Bella was still standing where I had left her.

I could hardly breathe. He had kissed me. I hated him, so much, but the kiss was incredible. Every place we touched, I could feel that odd electricity. I swear that my heart was about to force its way out of my chest. The boys all walked back in and I avoided Edward's eyes. I sat down, facing the screen that now held a list of songs. Alice passed Jasper a microphone and the two of them sang Party for Two. They danced around and really acted, to the point where I was laughing again. Edward stared at me with fascination every time I laughed. When they finished, Rosalie and Emmet took the mics. They sang We Ain't Strangers. They sounded better than the original singers. When they finished the love song, they kissed, making the rest of us laugh and throw things. I sat, randomly looking at the list.

Something hit me in the head.

"Ow!" I cried rubbing my skull. Alice had thrown me a microphone.

"Your vocal range is really good, you get a Kelly Clarkson song."

"I never told you I could sing." I shook my head. She smiled.

"You just did. Now pick, 'Because of You' or 'Moment Like This'?"

"If I sing Because of You , I will cry." I told her.

"Why?" she looked at me curiously.

"I... get emotionally involved in the songs I'm singing." I made up. The truth was, the lyrics fit too perfectly and reminded me strongly of my mother, Charlie and my relationship. She smiled, knowing that I was holding back.

"You get that one." As the music started I watched the screen.

"I will not make the same mistakes that you did

I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery

I will not break the way you did, you fell so hard

I've learned the hard way to never let it get that far

Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk

Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt

Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me

Because of you I am afraid."

I could feel the tears already. I closed my eyes. I knew the words, far too well. Pictures of my mother crying, about leaving Charlie when I was little haunted me. I didn't understand then, I still wasn't sure. My voice rang out, I could feel my throat protesting hitting the higher notes, but I was alright. I hadn't sung properly in nearly two years. I had to do this. For myself.

"I watched you die. I heard you cry every night in your sleep

I was so young. You should have known better than to lean on me

You never thought of anyone else, you just saw your pain

And now I cry in the middle of the night

For the same damn thing..."

When I finally finished I was crying. I hung my head, letting my straightened hair act as a curtain. I dropped the mic onto the pillow beside me and hurriedly wiped away the traitor tears. I took a few deep breaths and looked up again. Everyone was staring. Angela and Jessica were crying too.

"Was I that bad?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood a little. They laughed and Angela came over to hug me.

"Thanks. I needed that." She whispered. I stared at her, understanding.

I then made the mistake of meeting Edward's eyes. Despite Jessica sitting right beside him, his arm around her waist, he was staring at me with a foreign emotion in his eyes. It wasn't one I understood. Tyler sung next. Nickleback's Rockstar. They decided to pick songs that we could dance to. Tom Jones' Sex Bomb was the next song. I was practically falling asleep, so I forced myself to stay awake by encouraging others to dance. I was adamantly staying sat, until Rosalie appeared behind me and pinched my ass. I jumped up and fell, straight into Jasper, who grabbed my hands and started dancing with me.

It was easy to dance to that song. It had a strong beat, even if the lyrics were rather dirty. I sat down after and everyone else started arguing over songs. 'Save the Last Dance' came on and I smiled.

"You can dance to this can't you Bella?" Alice asked accusingly. I smiled and didn't answer. She pulled me up. Everyone moved out of the way.

"It takes two to tango." I muttered but began anyway.

I skipped the dips and moves that were only performed with partners, until a cold hand wrapped around my waist, the other one slipping into my hand. Edward was dancing with me. He led and I got dipped and spun repeatedly. Every time we broke away from each other, he would begin a dance move that brought us back together. Our bodies weren't pressed together, though they should've been; it was a very sexy dance, but Edward was oddly respectful of my personal boundaries. On the last spin he dipped me straight after, staring into my eyes. I would've blamed the dizziness on the spin, but I would've been lying. The song ended and he pulled me back up so that I was standing. I was breathing calmly, but it took great effort.

"So you can tango?" I asked.

"I was about to ask the same thing." He replied.

I tried to shake the electricity out of my body, but it wasn't working. Jessica grabbed him again then, and I walked out, leaving the rest of them to dance again. I ran straight outside, stripping off my clothes and dove into the ocean. I swam straight out to the rock and hid there for a while, trying to clear my head. Why did I feel this way around him? Was it just his player skills finally reflecting on me? It couldn't be anything more; I hated the guy.

"You know," a voice sounded behind me, making me jump and slide into the water, scraping my grazed arm on the rock as I slid in. "You really shouldn't be out here alone. Not with your luck." It was Jasper. As far as I could tell he was unclothed also.

"Are there any sharks in these areas?" I asked casually.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I just cut my arm, sliding off that damn rock."

"Are you okay?" he swam further away. I held my arm out of the water. It was a shallow injury, but it was still bleeding. Jasper was holding his breath.

"I think so. The salt is really stinging though." We began to swim back.

I was careful to keep my entire body underwater. When we got to the beach, he exited first. I examined my arm, until he told me it was safe. He was turned away as I got dressed, back into my pyjamas.

"Kay." He turned back, frowning.

"We do have a pool you know. You wouldn't be sandy or injured if you'd gone there instead." He took my arm, still not breathing, and frowned harder. "Why'd you run anyway?" I suddenly felt very warm and comfortable.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah."

"I'm confused. I hate everything about Edward, yet..." I sighed. "I don't know. I'm...It's hard to explain." He closed his eyes for a moment.

"I think I understand. He has that effect on everyone. He has never been so perplexed by anyone before though."

"What?"

"Can you keep a secret?" he asked right back.

"Yeah."

"He doesn't know what to make of you either." Jasper then began pulling me back towards the house. "Aren't you tired? It is, like, one in the morning."

"I'm trying to stay up past two."

"Why?"

"Personal best." I invented. "I want to beat my own high score."

Jasper pulled me through the front room, where everyone was still dancing, until I stopped him. I took off my pyjama shirt and wrapped it around my arm, well aware that I was dripping bloody salt water through the house. He sighed and took me upstairs.

We hadn't woken Carlisle or Esme, but they did look like they were ready to go to bed. Carlisle immediately grabbed some alcohol and gauze, cleaning, then wrapping my wound. The alcohol stung worse than the salt. I angrily wiped away tears as Edward walked in, carrying a book.

He put it on the bedside table.

"This is yours, mom." He said, looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." I was in nothing but a bra and pj pants when he looked at me.

_Nothing he hasn't seen before. _I reminded myself glumly. When Carlisle was finished I thanked him and apologized for dripping water through the house. I then, after checking with Carlisle, took a shower, washing all of the salt and sand away. By the time I was ready to sleep, the girls had been asleep for twenty minutes, they were in Alice's room. I could hear the guys talking in Emmet's room as I walked down the hall. Very distantly, I could've sworn I heard a piano playing.

I walked towards the sound, ending up in the basement. I entered a room where the walls were lined with, literally, hundreds of CDs. Edward sat at a grand piano, playing one of Chopin's nocturnes.

"Wow." I said as he finished.

"It's not my favourite."

I glanced at the clock on the wall. From personal experiments I had conducted, I found out that my dream needed a minimum of fifteen minutes to complete itself. If I went to sleep any closer to two-oh-nine, I was safe. I had about a half hour, until I could safely shut my eyes.

"Can you play anything else?" I asked gently, sitting on one of his odd chairs. I swung my legs over the arm, in the most uncomfortable position I could manage. I yawned anyway and he smiled.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I don't want to go to sleep. Not yet." I admitted.

Edward smiled a crooked smile that made my heart twist. He looked back at the ivory keys and began playing Moonlight Sonata. It was one of my favourite pieces. I smiled and closed my eyes.

I listened to each note, admiring the perfect timing, the notes echoing around the acoustically perfect room, and Edward's steady breathing as he played. I remembered him starting the ending, but I never actually heard it; I had fallen asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

BPOV

She lay in the most uncomfortable position she could manage. She was trying desperately not to sleep, but my playing Moonlight Sonata pushed her into the depths of unconsciousness. When I finished I carefully picked her up, laying her on my bed. I tried to ignore the electricity I felt as I touched her. When she was there I leant in, to kiss her, my mouth almost touching hers, lingering. I inhaled her glorious scent; floral, like lavender or freesia. I could hear her blood pumping through her veins. My mouth almost touched hers, before I pulled away. It was the most horrible torture.

I had begun to realise exactly what Jasper had been sensing; I was in love with her. I had only known her a week and I was hopelessly in love. But she still hated me. She despised me, everything I did. After looking at myself, as if through her eyes, I could see she was right. I had to change it. But first... I sat down and played a new tune; I began writing a lullaby, for her. The unusual combinations of new notes excited me, I loved it when I found inspiration to write. And she was my inspiration.

_I was in Pete and Ali's house. I could hear a piano being played, from the basement door. I opened it and found myself in Edward's room. The piano sat, playing itself in the corner. I didn't recognize the tune. I sat on the bed, watching the ghostly piano, when a strong, cool pair of arms wrapped around me. I closed my eyes and smelt the sweet fragrance of Edward's skin. He rested his head on my shoulder and I sat, content, my heart drumming in my ears. The piano stopped after a little time, but Edward didn't move. We breathed as one, in and out simultaneously. _

When I woke up I was smiling. I was staring at a black ceiling. I sat up slowly, trying to get my bearings. I was in Edward's room still, but he had moved me to the bed. He was nowhere to be seen. I then realised why I was happy. It was not because Edward had starred in my dreams, although I'm sure that helped my mood. I was happy because for the first time in two years, I had slept without the nightmare. I remembered going to sleep, with plenty of time for the dream to run its course.

I stood up and checked the clock. It was nearly eight o'clock. I laughed at my own happiness and collapsed back onto the bed. I then decided to get up. I made the bed, making a mental note to thank Edward later, and shuddering at the thought of him touching me without my knowledge. I ran my fingers through my now wavy hair and pulled it back into a rough braid. I actually looked pretty.

My pyjamas were black, a t-shirt and pants combo, my hair looked surprisingly neat, considering I hadn't done anything to it, but there was more to it. The rings under my eyes were less pronounced, and I had a slight flush to my cheeks. My eyes were also lighter.

I had done a lot of things I hadn't done in a while, thanks to Alice and her family. I had sung, I had danced, I had laughed and meant it, and now, for the first time, I had slept. Perhaps Alice was the cure I needed. I left Edward's room and walked upstairs. I entered the kitchen and opened their fridge to find some breakfast. I grabbed a yogurt from the shelf and found a spoon. I sat on the kitchen floor, eating the yogurt.

"Um. We have chairs." Alice murmured as she walked in. "What happened to your arm?"

"I know. But I'm in too much of a good mood to use them. I'd end up spinning round and round and round. And it's a long story." The rest of the Cullens walked in, followed by Jasper and Rosalie.

"Hey Edward."

"Yeah?" he asked as he stretched.

"Thanks." I paused, letting him know I meant it. "But I still despise you and everything you stand for." He shook his head confused and sat down, slumped at the table.

"My back hurts." Alice moaned. "I hate sleeping on the floor." I stood and walked right behind her.

With my spoon still in my mouth and my yogurt left on the floor I began to rub circles into her shoulders. The muscles in her shoulders were extremely tight, but not from ill sleeping. As I looked closely I realised that she was ripped. She was skinny and feminine, but every muscle in her arms and shoulders were visible. I looked at the others and realised that they too were built with muscle. Tyler stumbled into the room next, stepping on my yogurt carton.

"Ow, ew!" he cried, rubbing his eyes and then looking for something to clean up with. I began laughing.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Rosalie asked. I didn't take the spoon out of my mouth. Instead I talked over it.

"I ac-ually slep las nigh. I usually don slee oo well." I admitted. Alice shrugged me off and then smiled at me.

"Thanks. Are you sure there isn't another reason you're in a good mood?" she asked sweetly. I frowned. What had Edward told her?

"Um, yeah." I said, still smiling.

"Like, a special occasion or something?" she prodded. It was Saturday; my birthday. As soon as I remembered it, my smile dropped like a stone in water. I sat down and glared at her. I took the spoon out of my mouth.

"I have no notion of what you're referring to." I said.

"Oh. Well oddly enough, when Esme spoke to Ali about the sleepover, at first Ali thought it was for _your_ birthday." I scowled.

"I don't like birthdays."

"Why?"

"People give you things."

"That's the point of them."

"I just hate them okay? I don't like having money spent on me." I snapped. I walked out of the kitchen and took a few deep breaths. I walked back in, completely calm.

"I apologize, for my behaviour." I sat down again, realising I was still hungry. I went to the fridge and grabbed another yogurt. I sat on the floor once more, trying to keep my good mood.

"I was in a good mood until you brought that up." I reminded Alice.

"Well you're going to hate me by the end of today anyway. With all the presents and what not." I stared at her, actually about to cry.

"No. No. No." I said shaking my head. She came and wrapped her arms around me.

"You are well worth it."

"No I'm not. You don't know that. You don't know enough about me. If you did you'd..." I broke off, trying to calm myself before I could start crying.

Alice took me by the shoulders. She pulled me into the bathroom.

"Bella, you've proven your character enough. You and I both know what you saw with the bike incident. And yet...you..." she stopped, composing herself. "You saved Lauren's life, you're almost always speaking the truth, just not all of it, and when you lie it's bad enough that people know you're lying. You are such a unique individual. After only a week I feel like I've known you for years. Bella, you are quickly becoming my closest friend." She stared me in the eyes. I hugged her strongly, burying my face into her shoulder.

"You'll find out someday. Then you'll regret everything you just said." I whispered.

"Until then, can you pretend you actually want to be my friend?"

"I do want to be your friend!"

"Well friends give each other presents. Besides that, my family and Ali and Pete have done something unique."

"What?" Alice ignored my question and pulled me back out of the washroom. Nearly everyone was up.

"I give in. Just two requests."

"Okay." Alice smiled.

"No singing and no cake." I demanded. She laughed.

"Deal."

"It's your birthday?" Angela asked. I nodded glumly. "Congrats. How old are you now?"

"I'm going to go with seven. It was a very easy age to stick to last year." This made everyone laugh.

Jessica was the last one up. I got dressed in the dark green shirt and black skirt I had packed. I got downstairs and realised that everybody in the house was having shower wars. I sat listening to them all, until I got bored and decided to sing to myself, while spinning continuously. I was suddenly seeing two white figures on every rotation, so I stopped spinning and stared straight at Alice and Rosalie.

"Time for that weird surprise yet?" I asked.

"You aren't dizzy?"

"No."

"Yes. It is time for that surprise, although you have other presents too." They sat me down at the kitchen table and brought me three boxes.

"One from your mother, one from your step-father and one from someone named Billy."

I opened the one from my mother. It was a small box. It was her charm necklace. It had charms from her mother, her grandmother and her great grandmother on it. There was a new addition; a small ring, bent out of shape, where I had once chewed it onto my finger. It was white gold, but fit in with the silver charms perfectly. I clasped it around my neck, smiling.

The next one, a huge and heavy box, was a CD collection from Phil. It was every CD I had repeatedly stolen during the months I had lived with them. I laughed as I looked at the familiar cover art. There were two dozen CDs in the box.

The last one I was afraid to open. My hands shook as I gently opened the box.

My father's favourite Varsity sweater and Police t-shirt were in it, as was my sketchbook. I tried to hold back the tears but as soon as I flipped the cover of my sketchbook I collapsed, sinking down to the floor. I had drawn my father, sitting in his usual armchair, wearing the sweater that was lying in the box. The next page was his house, the stupid Police cruiser sitting on the driveway. A few pages of scenery and inanimate objects followed. Then there was a sketch of my mother, and her new house. There were flowers, animals and insects sketched on the next few pages and then a ripped out page. My breathing got heavier as I remembered exactly who I had drawn on that page.

I looked up and realised that everyone was gone. I packed all of the presents back into the boxes and put them on the floor. The CD one was extremely heavy, but I managed.

"It's safe now. You can all come back in." They all emerged from the living room.

"Thanks for the privacy guys." I said, regaining my control. I looked nervously at Alice.

"So what's the other surprise?"

"One that you will most likely hate, but thank me for later." She said. I was whisked out of the house and put in the front seat of the Volvo. Edward sat down beside me.

"Do _you _have to come?" I snapped.

"I'm paying for some of it, so I actually do. Besides, I don't trust anyone with my car."

"Paying for what?"

"Your Aunt and Uncle , my dear sisters and your new friends have all decided that you need a new wardrobe." My stomach dropped. I tried to undo the seatbelt and get out, but he was already driving.

"Let me out! I will not let you all spend ridiculous amounts of money on me!"

"It's only a ridiculous amount if you total up what we're each giving you. Individually it's barely a dent in our pockets." He said, almost smugly.

"I will hit you again." I promised him.

"You hit him? When?" Jessica asked from the backseat.

"You're all going to be charged with pre-meditated murder if I die of embarrassment." I sighed and pretended to fall asleep.

When we got to the store, I knew I was going to die of embarrassment. It was the kind of place celebrities went to shop. The girls immediately threw me into a change room. They then proceeded to grab clothes and throw them at me. I didn't touch the pile accumulating on the floor.

"Bella, if you don't try them on, I'm coming in there and doing it for you." Alice threatened. I stayed exactly where I was. Suddenly I was being pulled at by both Rosalie and Alice, who were indeed planning to change me.

"Okay! Okay! Get out!" I yelled.

I threw open the door and pushed them out, not remembering that I was in my underwear. Ben blushed. Tyler whistled. Mike wasn't paying attention and Edward was trying not to laugh. Emmet and Jasper were somewhere in the store finding more clothes.

Every item of clothing they made me try on was form-fitting and colourful. They tended to lean more towards cool colours; blues, greens and purples, mainly because I rejected anything pink, red, orange or yellow. They tried to get me to wear dresses, but I threw them out as soon as they came in.

"Bella! You're being difficult."

"I'm in a nice mood today thanks to a decent night's sleep." I retaliated. "You're lucky I'm not shoving the unwanted items down your throats."

I stayed in the change room for nearly three hours. Rosalie then began to throw lingerie over the door and I got dressed in my old clothes and stormed out. They caught me.

"I'm being tortured!" I complained. "That room is making me claustrophobic, I'm hot, tired, hungry and thirsty. It's my birthday! Leave me alone!"

I was laughing as I said this, but it was all true. They seemed to realise I wasn't going to budge, so I was whisked out of the door, before I could see the eventual price. I was good at math though. None of the pieces were under 80 and a few select items were ranging upwards of 600. We had gotten dozens of bags worth of clothes. This was costing thousands. I sat, fuming in the Volvo.

"Most people are happy when getting a new wardrobe." Edward pointed out wryly as he sat in the driver's seat.

"I'm not most people." I snapped back.

When we got back to the house I called Pete and Ali straight away. I actually yelled at them for spending so much money on me. Then I calmed down and thanked them. Esme took the phone after, explaining that, despite my reluctance, I had gotten a beautiful selection of clothes. I also thanked Esme and Carlisle, and all of the others. Alice had shoved the dozens of bags that were split between two cars, into the backseat of Edward's Volvo and I realised that she had removed every price tag, and the receipt was nowhere to be seen.

It was three o'clock when I was finally allowed to go home. I hugged and thanked everyone, telling Lauren, Mike, Tyler, Ben, Angela, Jasper, Emmet, Rosalie, Alice and Edward that I would see them all on Monday. When I got home I began replacing my old clothes. I kept a few more sentimental pieces, and my favourite black skirt, but most I put in a box for charity. I spent the rest of the day organising the closet. Jeans, skirts, blouses, sweaters and 'going out' items got hung up. Everything else got colour coded and put into drawers. It was when I reached the last few bags that I realised Alice and Rosalie had bought me lingerie, despite my protests. I laughed at the lacy, silk, velvet or patterned items and shoved them under the more normal looking items they had bought. I realised that I had no shoes to go with the new wardrobe and smiled. I would stick to sneakers and sandals as long as I could.

I spent the night talking with Ali and Pete. They were happy about my whole birthday thing and told me that my mother had called earlier. I decided to call her tomorrow. I went downstairs and got into my swimsuit. I swam for a few hours. When the pool lights turned on, (ten o'clock) I got out, dried off and slipped into bed. I found Moonlight Sonata and let it play, listening to every note as I drifted off to sleep.

It was no use. I woke up screaming at my regular time. I was so frustrated.

"What the hell? How many times do I have to relive it? How many?" I yelled, more at myself than anything.

I calmed down with a shower and did my homework. I typed up my good copy of my essay and finished my trigonometry review. At four I settled back down to sleep. Sunday I spent lounging around the house, doing some chores and reading, listening to music and trying to forget that I had thousands of dollars worth of clothes in my closet.

That night I slept horribly. I woke up screaming again and had a breakdown. I literally did. I was in such an odd mood. I grabbed the bottle of Advil by my bed, pouring out the pills until I had a handful. I began to move them towards my mouth, then stopped. I had other people to think about, besides myself. I now had Alice and her family, who would be confused and probably feel guilty if I went through with this. I put the pills back, sighing.

"Maybe tomorrow." That was my seventh nearly-considering-suicide attempt.

I lay down after that, trying to clear my head of negative thoughts.

Later that morning I was stuck. I looked at my wardrobe, having no idea what pieces to put together. Black was easy. It went with other black articles.

"Ali!" I called. She came in and, like a regular mom would, helped me pick an outfit.

I ended up in a blue, sleeveless blouse, with a white denim skirt. I borrowed a pair of white sandals from her closet and threw my hair up into a ponytail.

When I got to school Alice was disappointed with my hair.

"You could do so much with it!"

"I don't get up early enough. At least, not the second time round." I shrugged and walked to English.

Edward was talking quietly to one of his girls when I arrived. She was in my English class, he wasn't. He looked at what I was wearing and smiled a crooked smile as he kept talking. She looked like she was going to cry.

_I don't want you to be upset. I'm a monster, I've practically used you all year. You know it, you just didn't want me to realise it. I don't want to make you so unhappy anymore._

My mouth dropped open as I read his conversation. Was he actually apologizing to one of his toys? I looked away, to give him some privacy and saw Alice staring at me.

"You can read lips!" she said accusingly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I put my essay on my desk and lay my head down, falling swiftly to sleep.

"Not a good night last night?"

"Mmm." I replied, barely.

I felt Alice stand, to hand in my essay for me after class started. She poked me and I woke up, just in time too, the teacher began explaining our summative. I actually paid attention.

"You will use a media component to express your favourite scene from one of the books on your reading list..."

"You should sing."

"Not in front of people."

"You did at the party."

"I was on an estrogen high."

"Bella." Alice complained as I slumped over, asleep again.

Trig was the same, except for one thing. Edward was depressed. You could tell. His eyes were shadowed, his face was being hidden by his hand, he was slumped and uncomfortable, instead of his usual relaxed, half-asleep look.

In Spanish I slept. This time I received a huge load of homework from the teacher. No one else got any. I didn't protest though. I merely slept on top of the stack of papers she handed me. At lunch I was scared to eat. I avoided the pizza altogether and the tomatoes in the salad I eventually chose.

"What's wrong Wobs?" Emmet asked, shaking me.

"Wobs?"

"Waste of bench space." I laughed and tried to explain.

"With my luck I'll stain the skirt. It's not so bad if the skirt is black and costs ten bucks. Very bad if the skirt is ninety bucks and spotless white." After eating I cracked into my Spanish homework.

I had found a quiet spot, outside, on a picnic table. I was listening to my iPod, working on my Spanish, reading Wuthering Heights and talking to Alice all at the same time when Edward came over.

"Talk about multi-tasking." He muttered. He sat, gracefully, as I continued juggling. I nearly finished my Spanish homework.

"Did she say when this was due?" I asked myself.

"Wednesday." Edward replied swiftly.

Then he held his breath and thought up something. "Or so Rose told me." I smiled.

I was making my own theories about the Cullens and Hales. I knew that they weren't human. They were all too breathtakingly beautiful, graceful, fast and smart. I had noticed that Alice was very good at waking me up, right before something I needed to see occurred. I had noticed that I had drastic mood changes whenever I was around Jasper. I had noticed that Edward seemed to have an odd grasp on what others were thinking. I had noticed that none of them ate. I had noticed too much, and I was sure that they had noticed just as much about me.

The bell rang and I grabbed the last two pages of my Spanish homework, tucking the rest into my binder. In Biology I didn't get a chance to finish it though. Edward and I were given the ingredients for the experiment, and we were making silly putty.

"On the day I wear white, we're using blue dyes!" I whined. Edward smiled at me, offering to do the messy part.

We followed the instructions and before long Edward was holding a mass of blue goop in his hands as he let the water drain away over the sink. I lay down a few paper towels and he let the blob sit. After, we had fun bouncing it to each other, stretching it flat and pulling it so thinly you could see through it and other such weird experiments. I came to realise that I didn't hate him, I just didn't like him.

"The teacher thinks we're being foolish." Edward said. I looked at Banner. He was turned away from us, talking to another group, but when he glanced back, I realised it was true.

Gym was when my problems started. At the beginning of class I took my iPod and climbed to the top. Alice gulped and wrung her hands as I tried to balance it at the top. I eventually just wrapped it around the metal bar, praying that the earphones wouldn't pull out and that my iPod wouldn't crash to the floor.

I was about to ask to be let down when I caught sight of Jessica. She was climbing beside me and was nearly at the top. She had stopped, leaving her feet on the rocks, but using her hands to rub her eyes. She then called to Edward and began waving. I didn't care about any of that. I did care about the fact that her d-ring was stretched, broken and about to drop her. I swung over, grabbing a rock with my left hand and grabbing her harness.

"Grab onto my harness, quickly." I instructed.

She tried to push me away and the ring gave out. She began to drop as I held onto her harness. Her falling body weight yanked my arm at an odd angle and I heard a sickening crunch. Pain shot up the arm that was holding us to the wall. I let go, letting it dangle uselessly at my side as we crashed into the wall. I hadn't let go of her harness, though flashes of black began eating away at my vision.

"Grab my harness." She did, desperately, her nails digging into my skin. "Let us down." I yelled.

We crashed to the floor and more pain shot down my arm and spine. I cried out as I saw Edward leaning over me. He grabbed my arm and I screamed.

"Sorry." He said and violently pushed it quickly.

My scream was deafening and the pain knocked me out.

When I woke up I was in the hospital. I had a sling holding my arm firmly to my chest. My shoulder wasn't hurting anymore. But then again, nothing was. I crawled forward to the edge of my bed and found my chart.

"Morphine. Yay." I said. No one was in the room with me. I put the chart back and tried to stand up, but Edward suddenly appeared and pushed me back.

"You have been ordered, by my father, not to move until the morphine is out of your system."

"It is!" I responded angrily.

"Do you hurt?" he asked, with a sad smile on his face.

"No."

"Then it isn't." I gave up quickly and lay back. Jessica, Ali and Pete walked in next. Followed by Carlisle and Alice.

"Bella are you okay?" Ali looked frightened.

"I can't feel a thing. I'm fine Ali. If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any."

"Actually it seems that you change other people's luck. You technically are fine, but things go wrong with other people when they're near you. First Lauren, now Jessica, and you end up getting hurt because of it." Edward put in.

"What happened with Lauren?" Pete asked.

"Nothing." I said firmly.

"She nearly drowned saving her." Alice said. I scowled.

Jessica looked furious. No doubt she was wishing she were injured, so that she could have Edward's unlimited attention right now. I honestly could say that I'd love to trade spaces with her.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Nearly eight hours."

"Yay, plenty of sleep." I paused and tried to think. "Two questions; what exactly happened to my iPod?"

"I have it." Alice beamed. "I climbed after we got you to the hospital and I got it. So now I keep it. I'll have it back to you by tomorrow."

"Congrats. What happened?"

"Um, well by the looks of it, Jessica's d-ring broke, you stopped her from falling and dislocated your shoulder in the process. You will no doubt also have multiple bruises." I started to remember it and then glared at Edward.

"You put my shoulder back in didn't you?"

"I had to."

"No you didn't."

"Baby, we have to go." Pete interrupted what could have been a very long conversation.

"Okay." I said, turning to him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ali asked.

"I'm fine. Actually I think I'm gonna lay it on thick and grab some extra morphine to help me sleep tonight." I whispered conspiratorially. They laughed and both kissed me before they left.

"Alice, I need to talk with you for a second." Carlisle asked. They both left, leaving me with Jessica and Edward.

"I'm glad it was my left shoulder. Now I can still write. I have that Spanish load, and an entire lab to do."

"I'll do it for you."

"I'm not mentally handicapped, just physically thank you very much."

"Are you quite sure about that?" he asked laughing at me. I threw something sharp and shiny at him.

"Get out!"

That night, thanks to the morphine, I had no dreams. The next day I woke at five, very aware of the fact that I wanted to go to school. I was sick of the hospital already, although it was only Tuesday. My shoulder was killing me, so the morphine was out of my system. I stood, found my gym clothes and put them on. Awkwardly over the sling, but I managed. Then I tried to escape. I was walking away fine, until I bumped into Carlisle. Literally. Pain shot through my shoulder.

"Ow."

"I do beg your pardon... Bella?" Carlisle started to apologize, and then his voice changed to angry parent.

"I'm going home."

"How exactly do you expect to get home?"

"I'll call a cab. Or walk if I have to." I replied stubbornly. He smiled at me, showing his perfect white teeth. "Am I all clear to go to school today?" I asked, looking into his black eyes.

"Yes. Only if you take it easy."

"Promise."

"How about you sleep at our house tonight? So I can keep an eye on you?"

"Okay." Carlisle took me, by my good shoulder and said goodbye to the nurse at reception.

"I'm turning in, and signing her out." He said. The nurse nodded and handed him a few papers. With a couple of signatures we were off. I sat in his expensive looking car and sighed.

"What?"

"I'm going to have to explain to everyone what happened."

"Tell it to six people and I guarantee that by the end of the day, the entire school will know."

"I don't doubt it." I laughed. Carlisle drove me straight to my house and told me he'd drive me to school as well.

"Are you sure?" I asked. He nodded and I ran inside to get dressed. I managed to get on a tank top, with Ali's help. I grabbed an apple and my bag, slinging it over my uninjured shoulder.

"Who brought all my stuff home?"

"Alice."

"Okay. See you later guys." I got back into Carlisle's car and he drove me to school.

I thanked him and got out. The first person to reach me was Alice. She was determined to carry all of my stuff, all day. In English I read, holding the book and turning the pages one-handed, a skill I had picked up ages ago. In trig I was wide awake too, mostly because my shoulder was killing me. I should've taken the day off, but I didn't want to stay home, or in the hospital. In Spanish I finished the last two pages of my homework load and handed that in. The teacher looked surprised that I'd finished it early, let alone the fact that I'd corrected her grammar and spelling mistakes in the questions she asked.

Lunch was fun. Emmet sat me on his lap and spoon fed me, like a baby. I would've protested but my shoulder hurt too much. Plus he was holding my good arm with an iron grip. Plus I could barely breathe because I was laughing so hard. I noticed that Edward's usual crowd of girls wasn't following him, and that he seemed depressed still. I picked up a grape and threw it at him. He recoiled in shock.

"Lighten up a little. I'm in a good mood again." I informed him. He half smiled at me.

"I thought you hated me." He said. Everyone stopped talking to hear my response.

"I don't _hate_ you. I don't even _despise _you. It's more like a firm dislike. I can talk to people I don't like. I can't stand people I hate." I informed him.

He looked down at the table, seemingly confused, but then threw the grape at Alice. A mini food-fight got started up.

Biology was a little less tense than last week. We actually talked a little, comparing notes and deciding who would do the write up. We decided to split it evenly. The lab was due tomorrow.

"Alice wants another sleepover."

"Well," I replied, "Carlisle invited me to sleep at your place tonight anyway. I still haven't got my iPod back, so I'll bug Alice about that. And we can work on the lab." Edward smiled at me, though his eyes were filled with that same emotion, the one I couldn't recognize, but was beginning to enjoy.

"Sounds good. Do you need a ride home?"

"Um, yeah I suppose."

"Well after school I'll drop you off home, then grab my family."

"Um, that wastes gas. It would be easier if you all just stopped at my house for a bit. Ali and Pete won't be home, but I trust you guys."

Edward nodded. He grabbed my bag ten seconds before the bell rang.

"I am capable of carrying my own stuff you know!" I snapped as we walked to the gym.

When we got there I found my sketchbook. I had put in my binder yesterday, but now I had the perfect chance to draw. I lay the book on my legs and grabbed a pencil. I decided my first subject.

I drew her beautiful frame, her face and her long blonde hair. Rosalie began taking shape on my sketchbook page. I drew her standing against a car, dressed in simple jeans and a tank-top. I sketched extremely intently all hour, until I had an incredible portrait before me, the background wasn't quite as detailed as it could have been, but I liked it better that way. Everything always paled in comparison to the Cullens and Hales. I didn't notice, until she spoke, that the subject of my sketch was standing next to me.

"Do I really look that serious?" she asked. I looked up and smiled.

"Occasionally." I showed her the full sketch and she was startled. "I'm planning to draw all of you, though it'll take time. It took an hour to do this." I said nodding towards the pad.

When I got home I left a note, letting Ali and Pete know where I was and why. The Cullens and Hales were standing in the hallway.

"Um, come on in. I won't give you a tour, because I honestly don't know the layout of the house yet, and I'd end up lost. I will show you my room though. I brought them downstairs and showed them the huge room that served as my bedroom.

"You're in the basement, just like Edward."

"It's so that I don't wake Pete and Ali up...when I come in from swimming." I made up. It wasn't a lie, entirely.

Edward was looking at my CD collection. Alice and Rosalie were going through my closet. Emmet and Jasper were outside, looking at the pool I had at my disposal. I grabbed some stuff and shoved it into a bag. I also was about to grab a few Advil when Edward stopped me.

"Carlisle can give you something more effective." He said. I sighed and put the bottle back down. We drove to his house next and Alice pulled me straight into Carlisle's study, while Edward went to get started.

"She needs meds." Alice said simply. Carlisle smiled and grabbed a bottle.

"Codeine? How am I supposed to work on the lab with that running through my system?" I took out two of the pills and put them in my pocket, not my mouth.

"I'll take them after we've worked on the lab."

Edward and I got working. We talked about nothing but science. I had done parts of his too. I had written four sources of error on my page, though I didn't want to show off. I deftly covered it with my hand.

"I'm stuck on the sources of error."

"That was my part anyway." He shrugged, though I could've sworn I saw him smile. Alice and Rosalie had disappeared ages ago and now they came in throwing boxes at me.

"What?"

"Shoes. It's what we forgot on the weekend." I opened the boxes, with help, to find that most of them were heels.

"I can't do heels."

"You'll be fine." I stood up to give the box back and lost my balance. My instinct told me to throw my arms out, so I moved my shoulder and collapsed in pain instead. I landed right in Edward's lap and he cradled me as I cried out in pain.

"Time for that codeine." He said, slipping his hand into my pocket to retrieve the pills.

"You weren't there." I managed to say through my gasping. "How the hell did you know where the pills were?" Edward froze. He handed me the pills, sat me upright again and ran from the room, without another word. I took the pills and tried to calm myself down. Both Alice and Rosalie were looking at me cautiously, almost angrily.

I couldn't believe I had been that stupid. I had made a slip that could expose me, us. She was much smarter than most humans, it was dangerous to be careless around her. I sat down, on my 'bed' and took a few deep breaths.

"Bella. What are you doing to me?" I asked the ceiling. After a few more deep breaths I smiled. Stuck on the sources of error. Liar. She had more than I did. I stood and rubbed my temples, trying to figure out how to explain. I was listening vaguely to the conversation upstairs, through Alice.

"Let's make a deal." I said, standing up and rubbing my shoulder gently. "We each keep our secrets, and if either figures it out, they must let the other know. Until then, we keep observations and speculations to ourselves. Sound good?"

Alice smiled.

"I think you know a lot more than you've led us to believe."

"I could say the same thing." I retorted.

"You are indeed strange. It's why I like you so much." Alice sighed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. You better go and stop Edward from beating himself up too badly." I saved the lab, we had been working on the computer, and found a place to sit down comfortably. Carlisle came down shortly after.

"I heard about what happened. Is your shoulder alright?"

"Yeah. I took the meds too; we were pretty much done the lab anyway." My head was starting to swirl. I could feel a ridiculous grin on my face. "I love medication sometimes."

"Try and behave yourself tonight." Carlisle sighed and disappeared. Alice appeared seconds later. She was holding my iPod. I put it on and found a song to dance to. I grabbed her, one handedly and we began to dance.

"Bella you are going to fall over."

"I won't feel it." I retorted, while laughing.

"I wonder what you're like when you're drunk."

"Keep wondering. I haven't touched the stuff for years."

"You're only seventeen!" she scowled.

"And what thirteen year old hasn't been completely smashed? I gave it up when I was fifteen."

"Wise of you."

We continued to dance until I did eventually fall. Emmet caught me this time.

"Backwards." He said to Alice.

She ran to a stereo in the corner and suddenly I could hear the song I was listening to playing through the room. I pulled off the earphones and sat down, watching Alice and Emmet dance. Rosalie and Jasper came in shortly after, joining the dance. My next song was completely random, but still had a beat you could dance to. Edward came in shortly after.

"Alice, give it back."

"What?"

"My iPod."

"Wrong. It's hers we're listening to." Alice pointed to me. Edward looked at me and smiled. I was leaning like the Tower of Pisa. He came over and gently pulled me back up so that I was sitting up.

"How much codeine did you take?"

"Not sure. My shoulder doesn't hurt though." I replied. "Sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have said anything."

"What have you guessed about me?"

"I can't tell you. I made a deal with Alice." Edward stared at Alice and she stared back calmly. He nodded and looked back at me.

"Alright then."

"Oops." I stood up as I remembered something. Edward followed me, waiting to catch me if I fell. I found the nearest phone and dialled my mother's number. Then I asked if I could use the phone. Edward laughed.

"Mom? Hey. Thanks for the birthday presents and all."

_It's alright sweetie. Did you like them?_ Something was wrong, I could hear it in her voice.

"Yup. Mom, what's wrong?"

_Nothing is sweetheart. I'm so happy you liked the present._

"Liar. I know you better than that. What's wrong?"

_I'm not sure if I should tell you. Oh... fine, it's kind of good news anyway. Bella, they, the Police I mean, they caught him._ There was only one him that the Police were looking for. My father's murderer. My rapist. They caught him.

"Took 'em long enough." I managed, then I passed out. I could hear Edward's fast, velvet voice talking quietly. I heard Carlisle's voice, and Jasper's voice.

_She's not in any physical discomfort, the codeine wasn't strong enough to knock her out either._

_She's feeling two major things. _That was Jasper. _Relief, overpowering relief, and sadness._

I lay there, for an immeasurable amount of time, thinking. I was finally safe. I was alright. It was safe to move back to Phoenix. But I didn't want to anymore.

When I opened my eyes I was on a couch. My shoulder still wasn't hurting and my head was incredibly light.

"Yay codeine." I murmured and sat up. Suddenly Alice was there.

"Bella. Are you alright?" she asked. Her eyes looked almost frightened.

"Better than I have been for a while." I answered truthfully. I could stop being scared. I hugged her with one arm.

"Sorry for all the trouble I keep causing."

"It's okay." Emmet laughed from behind me. "Never a dull moment."

"Can you tell us what happened?"

"My mom just had some, um, unexpected news. Though it's alright. I'm better now." I said. "What the hell is the time anyway?"

"It's about seven o'clock."

"Good for a movie."

"Yeah." Alice brightened. She dashed off to find one and I sat down again in front of the huge TV. The rest of the family, even Carlisle and Esme found spots and settled down too.

"Edward?" I asked.

"Yes?" he looked up at me.

"What did you say to my mom?"

"I told her that you had to go."

"Did you tell her who you were?"

"No. Why?"

"Crap. Now she'll think you're my boyfriend or something." I put my head on my knees, trying to imagine that conversation.

When I looked back up Edward was trying to avoid my eyes, but I could see them filled with that emotion again. Was it sadness? Not quite.

We watched Dracula. For some reason I had an eerie feeling as I was watching it. If I ever looked away from the screen, be it for laughter, fear, or avoiding the sight of blood I saw seven sets of eyes flicker away from my face. Why were they watching me and not the movie? Were they scared I would pass out again? No. That wasn't it. I watched the rest of the movie, fighting the urge to sleep. At the end I was laughing again.

"I love the old special effects. They don't make 'em like they used to. Do you know what they did for all of the special effects in the Wizard of Oz? It was incredible. Now it's all computers. Not that I'm complaining, there are some wicked special effects in the latest movies."

"I know what you mean. In these movies, if they needed a building blown up, they blew up a building."

"Exactly! Now they just computer generate it." I realised that Edward and I were actually having an emphatic conversation and I stopped talking. My stomach rumbled and I smiled.

"Oops."

"What do you want to eat?" Alice laughed. I looked her straight in the eyes.

"Whatever _you're _having." The smile swept off of her face and she stared at me dangerously.

"I don't think you'd like it."

"Well then I'm fine with a yogurt." I smiled, dropping it quickly. "I love the kind you have, especially the strawberry banana." Alice went to get me some and I sat, knowing full well that all of their eyes were on me.

"Stop."

"What?"

"Staring." Edward laughed.

That was the third time I had said that, and he still didn't expect it. It was definitely bedtime now. I yawned after I finished the yogurt, thanking Alice. We went to her room and I collapsed onto the bed she had provided. I heard her fall asleep soon after. When I closed my eyes I began to see the coloured lights and hear the loud music that signalled the beginning of my nightmare.

I somehow managed to wake myself quickly, breathing heavily. I swept the loose hair away from my face and decided to try something. I left the room, careful not to disturb Alice, and went downstairs. I found Edward's room and knocked quietly. He opened the door, looking warily at me.

"I'm not here for answers, or questions or anything. I just wanted to ask if you could play me to sleep again." I said. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt safe around him. Edward smiled.

"This'll cost you."

"Oh?"

"You have to wear the shoes Alice got you." He said. I nodded in defeat.

"I probably would've ended up forced into them anyway." I settled myself down, into the chair once more and he took his place at the piano stool.

"Any requests, or am I given freedom?" he asked politely.

"Freedom."

He began to play an oddly familiar, yet strange song. It was one I didn't think I'd heard before, and yet I knew the notes. I closed my eyes and listened, to the notes, Edward's breathing and my own breathing, in perfect harmony with his.

I had the dream with the ghost piano again. Edward sat, with his arms protectively around me, as we listened to the tune echo around the room. I woke up smiling again. I was, again, lying on his bed. He had switched places with me; sleeping on the chair while I took the bed. I started to laugh a little. I had figured out the key to a good night's sleep; the man I hated. My soft laugh woke him up.

"Hey sleepy. How are you?" I asked. He looked at me, amazed by my light-heartedness.

"You're in a good mood."

"I slept again. I..." I paused. "I usually have really bad nightmares. They keep me unsettled until quite early in the morning." I whispered. He sat up, frowning slightly.

"Every night?"

"For a few years now. Drug induced sleep helps, but I hate drugs, even medical ones. And then, one night you played me to sleep."

"And the nightmare went away?"

I nodded. I can't believe I was telling him, of all people, about my nightmares. We both sat, in the quiet, until a small series of notes played, from a digital clock.

"Time to wake up." He smiled.

"I have to go and get ready for school." I left, hesitating at the door.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" he stared straight at me, his eyes searching mine, filled with that emotion again.

"Thank you." I said, and went upstairs.

At school that day, my shoulder was a little better. I wore only tank-tops now that my sling was holding my arm hostage. It was Wednesday and I felt much better, mainly because I slept. During English I drew. Alice was my subject this time. I sketched the pose she had first talked to me in. She was glancing sideways at me, her hair half concealing her face, her eyes intently searching mine. It was then that I received another shock. I had drawn her eyes light topaz, just as I remembered them, but yesterday her eyes had been dark black, like her adopted father's. I tried to remember Edwards eyes on various days and realised the same thing; his eyes ranged from topaz to black also. As did the other Cullens and the Hales. When English finished, I showed Alice the sketch on the way to trig. She was elated, stunned at how I had captured the detail in her eyes.

"I like your eyes better topaz." I whispered as we sat down.

"I've no notion of what you're talking about." She replied swiftly, but dangerously again. That statement was almost becoming a code between us.

They were still carrying my bags for me, even though I protested. In Spanish I drew Emmet, doubled over in laughter, which was how I saw him most frequently. I was tempted to draw him in the dress I had seen at the sleepover, but I decided against it. He just might turn around and tell someone what I'd done. At lunch I showed him. He laughed as soon as he saw it. I ate quickly, then excused myself, I had to go to the bathroom. As I walked down the hall to the closest washroom I saw Lauren and two of Edward's girls get up and follow me.

When I came out of the stall, they were there, watching me. I washed my hand, cursing my sling once again as I failed at turning the tap with a soapy hand. Lauren did it for me.

"Thanks." I said.

I had an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. She gently let her hand rest on my bruised shoulder. It twinged a little, but it didn't hurt. Until she squeezed, digging her nails into the most bruised part she could see. Waves of pain flashed through me and I ended up on the ground. The other two girls stood, with their heels, on my stomach.

"You stole him from us."

"I didn't do anything!" I cried.

"He dropped us for _you_! We've seen how he stares at you." Lauren leaned in towards me.

"I promise you, I will find out your secret, the one you're so desperately trying to keep from everyone." That statement sent shivers up and down my spine.

Suddenly Lauren was thrown to the side, the other two girls were being punched, by Alice and Rosalie was bent over me, trying to assess the damage.

"I'm fine. I'm okay." I said, sitting up, despite the pain and flow of tears.

I brushed the dirt off of my expensive shirt and short combo and left, leaving Alice and Rosalie in the washroom with the other girls. As soon as I sat down at the table the others realised something was wrong.

"What's up?" Jazz asked.

"Your sisters. The other three are on the ground." I smiled, then slumped down. "I think it's easier being asleep all day. Though that is practically impossible with the damn sling."

"You're more interesting when you're awake though." Edward said. I blushed and was glad my face was hidden by my hair. Alice and Rosalie came out shortly after.

"They've been...talked to." Alice smiled.

"You two are scary. Actually, you all are scary, in a real kind of way." I tried to explain. I could hear them all shift uncomfortably. "But hey, scary is better than violent, deranged, psychopathic, schizophrenic..." I trailed. They laughed.

Biology and gym passed quickly. When I got home that afternoon, thanks to a ride from Edward, I went directly to a computer. I found the Washington Police Force home page and looked up recent cases. Most of the information surrounding my rapist was confidential, but the site did list his charges.

"Murder, breaking and entering, drugs and ra..." I couldn't finish. No one was supposed to know that. I never told anyone. I closed the site and shut down the computer, shaking angrily. I grabbed the phone and dialled my mom's number.

_Hello?_

"Mom, it's me."

_Bella! How are you? I heard about your shoulder! Oh I wish I was there to kiss it better, just like we used to._

"You knew about it didn't you? All those years, I never told anyone. I thought that my secret was safe." There was a silence on the other end of the phone.

_Bella, there are some things you shouldn't keep secret._ My mom's voice murmured through the phone. She was crying. So was I.

"How did you find out? How could you possibly?" I stopped, realising that I was yelling at my mother.

_When the Police came to the house, you were unconscious, beside Charlie. They took you to the hospital, and did a S.A.E. test._

"Sexual Assault Examination." I confirmed.

_I was waiting for you to tell me. I was hoping you would open up to me._

"I have to go mom." I spat. "I have homework."

_I'm sorry Bella!_

"Love you."

I hung up the phone, feeling shaky again. I had kept it a secret. I had cried in the middle of the night, unable to tell anyone what happened. That was why my mother looked at me differently. She walked on eggshells, just like the rest of them. The rape may have happened in Forks, but I couldn't even escape 'the look' in Phoenix. I hated the look. It was sympathy, pity, acknowledging the fact that the person receiving it could blow up at any minute. No one here looked at me like that. No one here could know. But there was the other half, the part that not even the police could deduct.

My silent tears were interrupted by a knock on the front door. I wiped away the tears and opened the door. I found Jake, staring at me.

"Awesome. I followed the directions." He said, hi fiving himself.

"What do you want Jacob? I thought you lived in Forks, not California." I laughed.

"Oh I do, but we've been here for two weeks, on vacation. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Um, come on in." I led him in and sat him in the kitchen.

"Wow, Bells. What happened to your arm?" he said as he looked at me.

"Dislocated shoulder."

"Nice." We sat staring at each other for a little.

"Why did you come?" I asked. He dropped the cheery attitude and started to look uneasy.

"Billy came here to talk to some people. The Cullens actually. When he found out that you were spending time with them he...forced me to come and warn you."

"Warn me?"

"Man, this is sounding really stupid. Look he's just a superstitious old man and I don't believe it. I'm..."

"Spit it out Jake." I sighed, smiling encouragingly.

"I'm not supposed to tell the story, but it'll make it easier to understand. Do you know any of the Quileute legends? Like where we came from and that stuff?"

Fifteen minutes later, my body was covered in goosebumps. I tried to make it look like I didn't believe either.

"You're really good at ghost stories. See look I have goosebumps."

"Awesome. It's kind of silly isn't it though?"

"I respect Billy's beliefs, but honestly, yeah." I tried to shrug it off. "So want to watch a movie or something?"

"No, I'm in a rush. Billy just wanted me to warn you to 'stay away'."

"I get it. It's probably better anyway; I have tons of homework."

"Right, well it's good to see you again." Jake said, awkwardly. I half hugged him on his way out.

"You too. Say hi to everyone for me."

"Will do."

And then he was gone. I practically collapsed in the hallway, fitting together the pieces.

The Cullens were vampires. They weren't human, I had known that. They were strong, fast, incredibly beautiful. They never ate, at least not human food. Their eyes changed, probably depending on how recently they had fed. I couldn't believe it, and yet, I could believe it.

Was it dangerous for me to be around them so much? Clearly. Even though they hunted animals, it was still risky, wasn't it? But Alice had done so much for me, they all had. I had a life with them. They were my friends. They were my first real friends, ones who liked me for my faults.

So I decided to like them for their faults right back. If they could accept me, then I could accept them, there was only one problem. The deal. I had promised Alice I'd tell her if I figured it out. I had a lot more figuring to do, but I knew the basics. I'd wait until I was done the figuring.

That night, when Ali and Pete got home, I got straight to bed. I was tired; my adrenaline had been going for hours. I slept, restlessly for a few hours, until the dream started to materialize. I managed to snap myself out of it, breathing and shaking like the last time. I had a cure for the nightmares, I knew how to make them stop.

"Stop it Bella. Don't be ridiculous." I cleared the thought away, before I could start hoping.

But as soon as I tried to close my eyes, the lights and music reappeared. So, I snuck outside, grabbing my bike and, although it was awkward at first, rode one-handedly down the street. I knew exactly how to get to their house. I was just hoping Carlisle and Esme wouldn't call Ali and Pete. I was also hoping that the other Cullens and Hales wouldn't get the wrong idea about why I was there.

As I pedalled down the street I knew I was being followed. It was just one of those gut feelings. When I got to their house I practically fell off of the bike. Getting off one-handedly was harder than getting on. I laughed quietly at myself, leaving my bike to the side of their driveway. I walked up and around back, close to Edward's room. I knocked on his window and he looked up, startled, from his piano.

_Thanks for the warning Alice._ He said as he got up. He walked around to the back door and I stood waiting.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked him as he handed a phone to me when he opened the door.

"Well judging by your apparel, Ali and Pete didn't drive you here, so I'm assuming you sleepwalked."

"Very funny. Look, I know it's the middle of the night, but-"

"You want me to get Alice for you?" he turned to call her name and I slapped my good hand across his mouth. Probably not wise if he really was a vampire. I withdrew my hand quickly.

"Look...this may sound strange, even to the point of crazy, but I came to ask _you_ something." This shocked him. He looked at me incredulously. I rethought my decision.

"Actually, you know what, it was a bad idea anyway, and I left my bike..." I trailed off as I turned around. Suddenly he was in front of me.

"You cycled here?"

"Pete an Ali's room is right above the garage, I couldn't sneak out. Besides, how would you expect me to drive with one arm?" I nodded towards my sling. Edward smiled.

"About as much as I expected you to show up at," he checked his watch. "Eleven o'clock, at my window." He stared at me. I stared back, trying to ignore my heart beating loudly in my ears. "Now, why did you come?"

"I came..." I took a few deep breaths and looked at my hands. I felt like a coward, running away from stupid nightmares. "I wanted to ask a really big favour. Could you play me to sleep again?"

He smiled a crooked smile. "Am I that good?"

"You..." I took another deep breath, trying to calm myself. "The nightmares really scare me. I mean badly. Somehow you make them go away. I can sleep. I've tried piano recordings, meditation, extreme exercising...nothing keeps me asleep, except drugs. And you."

He looked sympathetic, sad and lost; like he didn't know what to do.

"I figure you're a little healthier than medication. And I'm not asking for charity, I'll pay you or something."

"No, I can figure out my own payment." He smiled. "It's a deal."

"Does anyone know I'm here? I don't think they, or Pete and Ali would quite accept me if I'm sleeping in a boy's room."

"None of my family has seen you yet." He said. I heard him try to keep emphasis away from the 'seen'. He motioned towards the door.

We sat down and he pointed to his bed.

"You may as well, or I'll end up moving you later." He explained as I refused.

"That's not fair! You're already sacrificing your privacy for the night."

"Please?" he asked. "It's so much easier; it's already hard enough to move you without jostling your arm." He insisted, pushing me back towards the bed. So I lay down. He glanced at me quickly, smiling.

"What time would you like to be woken up?"

"Um, five thirty. Ali and Pete wake up around six, and I can bike home in about twenty minutes."

"Alright. Any requests or am I given freedom?" he repeated the same question as last time.

"Freedom. And Edward?"

He looked back at me.

"Thanks. But this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."

"Understood. Goodnight." He began to play one of Chopin's nocturnes.

The sweet melody had me asleep in minutes and I had the same, calm, wonderful dream as I had the other two nights.

I was writing down the final notes of _her_ lullaby when she tapped on my window. Alice had been watching her tonight, to make sure she was safe. Bella seemed to get into a lot of unnecessary trouble, more than any girl I'd ever met before. I would've watched her, but Emmet had called me obsessed. To prove I wasn't, I had stayed behind, forcing Alice to watch her for me. However when she tapped on my window my breath caught.

"Thanks for the warning Alice." I mumbled as I heard her laugh from upstairs.

Everyone was listening, to see what she wanted and what I would do. I assumed she wanted to call home; perhaps she had gotten lost or something, but the conversation took a pleasant, yet surprising turn.

As she admitted her fear of the nightmares I saw the shadowed look enter her eyes. It was one I had noticed, appearing less and less frequently, thankfully, for it darkened her beautiful eyes. I longed to hug her, to run my fingers through her hair, and let her know that I would let no harm come to her, that she was safe. Thoughts and feelings like that were embarrassing, especially around Jasper. He would no doubt tease me later.

She fell asleep after only minutes of listening to me play. She lay, smiling occasionally, at peace, with whatever dream she had in place of her usual nightmares. I wondered how long they had haunted her, what they were about, why they plagued her so violently. I also remembered a name. Charlie. She had wept and screamed it repeatedly, until she woke on the usual mornings.

When she was asleep I wrote the last few notes of her lullaby down, placing the papers in the stool. I left the room and ran straight to a computer. With Alice behind me, I opened my favourite search engine and thought about what to type.

Charlie Swan

It was a safe bet. She had said she had a stepfather and mother. He could be her father. A few results caught my eye. One was a police report, written by Charlie Swan. I opened his file to find his picture. It was the same man I had seen on the first page of Bella's sketchbook. He was listed as deceased, he died a few years ago. A pang of sympathy shot through me. It was then that I opened some of the other results. A running trial was being held, his murderer had been caught, only a month ago. My thoughts flashed back to the conversation I had heard between Bella and her mother._ Oh... fine, it's kind of good news anyway. Bella, they, the Police I mean, they caught him._

I looked at the charges held against him. Murder, drugs, breaking and entering, rape. A shiver shot through me as I read the last one. Was that the secret Bella was hiding? Alice looked at me, as shocked as I was.

"You don't think...do you?"

"It would explain her bitterness, her insecurity, even her nightmares." Not for the first time, I wished I could read her mind. I wasn't going to press any further, not tonight. Alice seemed to understand also, because when I shut the computer down she nodded.

"Edward."

"What Alice?"

"You could be wrong. Don't treat her any differently. I mean it. She's far too observant for her own good, she'd catch it immediately. Clear it from your mind." She instructed, squeezing my shoulder.

She went to rejoin her husband and I heard her refuse answers to the others, who were asking questions.

I came back into the room and she was curled up. She had fallen asleep on top of the comforter, so I found a blanket and tucked it around her. She smiled again.

"Thank you Edward." She mumbled.

For a moment I thought she had woken, but she remained motionless, her eyes still beneath her shut lids. I knew she talked, but I had only ever heard the same script, the one of her nightmare, and it haunted me more than she could realise.

"Bella?"

"Mmm." She answered after a pause.

"What are you thinking?"

It took her a while to answer, and when she did I only caught some of it.

"Piano plays itself...familiar somehow...dream...it has to be." I sat on the edge of the bed carefully watching her.

Was she playing around? Pranking or something similar? But she sighed and began to drift into a deeper sleep even as I watched. I, hesitantly, stroked her cheek, feeling her blush beneath my cold fingertips. I smiled, I leant in to kiss her once more and then stopped, my lips a hair's width from hers. I inhaled her scent, felt the blood rushing through her veins and cursed myself for my own existence. I leant away again, feeling tortured. I sat at my piano and played, repeating her lullaby, until early in the morning. Five minutes before I woke her up I slipped into my fake pyjamas, tousled my hair and roughened the pillows on the chair.

When it was time I gently poked her side. She sat up, startled, confused at first. She then blushed, remembering why she was here and smiled sheepishly up at me.

"Thanks."

"Would you like a ride home?" I asked, covering a fake yawn. She shook her head.

"I'd get caught."

"Not if I drove you most of the way and let you ride the rest." I pointed out. She sat and considered it. It took her a while; she was still groggy, it being so early in the morning. After going over it, what appeared to be a few times she shrugged, forgetting her shoulder, then winced.

"Ow. Yeah, sure."

We 'snuck out' again, going around back. I loaded her bike into Emmet's jeep and helped her in. The seat was far too tall for her to get in easily, so, with her permission, I lifted her in. She smiled, almost smugly as I did though, and it made me wonder just how much she may have guessed about me. I let her out five minutes later. She had plenty of time to spare, and so walked her bike the rest of the way, probably not trusting her balance so early in the morning. She nodded her thanks and I drove away again, much too quickly for my own liking. I hated being away from her. It would only be a few hours until she was safe at school again, though with her, safe was a temporary word.


	5. Chapter 5

BPOV

I managed to get home in plenty of time, thanks to his insane driving. I showered, taking as much time as was needed. Everything was twice as slow now that I only had one arm to work with. I got dressed, in a light blue tank top and, to my annoyance, a faded denim skirt. It wasn't that short, though I wasn't used to showing that much leg. So I found a light, loose, sleeveless, white sweater that had one button, where the hem ended at my knees. It was a good compromise. I found a pair of blue flats that matched my top and slipped those on. I ate breakfast with Ali and Pete, feeling energized after my good night of sleep.

"Did you sleep well? You look less tired." Ali asked. I nodded.

"I slept fantastically, the entire night through." No need to tell them where. Pete was halfway through offering me a drive to school when the doorbell rang.

"It's probably Alice." I told them and went to the door. A little part of me was hoping for Edward, but I silenced it. When I opened the door it was Alice. She smiled.

"I love the look. You are getting better at this."

School passed the same as usual. Only at lunch I sat down, very aware of the fact that I was practically surrounded by vampires. How would I break it to them when the time came? I cleared that thought from my head and sat down. Emmet reached for me.

"Emmet, I am capable of feeding myself."

"Where's the fun in that?" I laughed and let him feed me anyway, at least until it got to the Guava Nectar.

He raised the bottle to my lips and I took a huge gulp. It was disgustingly sweet. Without trying to I spat it everywhere, though, to my amazement, mostly on Edward. Alice and the others had moved out of the way. He sat there, looking disgusted at first, but I saw a smile tugging at his lips.

"Emmet?"

"Yeah?" he answered cautiously.

"I don't think she liked that." He said calmly and began wiping the vile liquid off of his face and shirt.

My face was burning, and I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. I couldn't help it though. A giggle escaped me and before I knew it I was laughing. At least he was laughing too.

"Sorry Edward..." I started but he shrugged. He took the bottle of Guava Nectar, stared at it for a moment, then took a swig.

This went against every speculation I had formed. They weren't supposed to eat human food. He must have seen the surprised look on my face because one of his eyebrows went up. He then returned the favour; spraying the liquid over Emmet and myself instead. I would've been mad but I deserved it. So instead I had to laugh. Especially when Alice started complaining about him ruining my outfit.

"And what about my shirt?" he asked, pointing to the mess.

"You don't need a self confidence booster." She snapped, then covered her mouth. She looked at me apologetically but I shrugged. Then winced.

"I need to stop doing that! It hurts like hell!" I yelled, mostly to myself. This sent a fresh wave of laughter around the table.

By Biology, my sides were killing me. Edward and I sat down and I sighed, looking at my not-so-white sweater.

"Sorry." He said.

"S'alright. I deserved it."

"Yes but you sprayed me unintentionally."

"But I was under the impression you didn't like food either." I whispered. His eyes turned serious. I sighed.

"Okay I'll drop it." I paused, rolling my eyes. "_Again_." He only smirked in response.

We were watching a movie in Biology. But as soon as the lights went out, the strange electricity began to build up between us. The force of it got more and more intense.

"Have you decided on the payment yet?" I asked, trying to diffuse the energy.

"Yes. Dinner. Saturday night."

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes. Today is Friday." He said, looking at me in the dim light.

"I don't do well with the whole 'dining out' thing. Just drop off some Chinese or something."

He laughed under his breath.

"We'll leave your house at seven. The reservations are already in place, so you have to say yes. Besides, you may enjoy a night out."

I could come up with no response. I did owe him.

"What the hell am I going to tell Pete and Ali?"

"You could tell them it's a date, it's the easiest explanation."

"No."

"Well then you could say that it's a homework night." I glared at him.

He smiled back. I had to look away before I could breathe again. How did he do that? In the last rock climbing Gym class I drew Jasper. His face was looking at me incredulously. It was the night on the beach, when I had cut my arm. I realised then, as I looked back on the night, that not only had he not been breathing, his eyes had been extremely excited. His jaw had been clenched and he kept 'upwind' from me. Did the smell of my blood tempt him so? The thought of how close I had been to perhaps dying that night scared me.

I drew him with the excitement in his eyes, but I chose to relax his jaw, letting him smile at me instead. The portrait once finished looked much better than I remembered him that night. I showed him at the end of class and he was overjoyed. I went home that night and, after taking some painkillers, drew Carlisle. I drew him in his doctor's clothes, looking puzzled, like he did so often when around me. Esme I drew next, her brown curls framing her heart shaped face perfectly. I drew her standing in her kitchen, looking at the mess on the floor, with a small smile on her perfect mouth.

I moved my hand to the next page, to draw the last member of the family and froze. His face was too perfectly etched into my mind. His portrait took me ten minutes, yet it was more detailed and shaded than any of the others I had done. I drew him at his piano, playing, from my perspective, the first time I had seen him play. I flipped the page and drew him, looking furious, when I was looking down from the rock climbing wall. I flipped the page again and drew him looking at me, with that odd emotion in his eyes, Guava nectar dripping from his face. By then end of a half hour I had three beautifully detailed portraits...of I guy I could have sworn I hated. I stared at the last portrait, trying to unlock his secrets. Ali and Pete walking in made me jump.

"Sorry. We did yell, you must've been too focused." Pete laughed as he saw me blush and try to cover Edward's face. "He's a looker, by the way."

I stared at my hand. It was grey, where I had used my skin to even the shading. I got up and went to wash my hand off, when Ali came over.

"Bella? You're quiet. What's wrong?" she rubbed my good shoulder. I took a deep breath.

"How do you feel about dating?" I asked.

"Well I began dating at fifteen. Pete at sixteen, so you're old enough in my eyes."

"Oh."

"Was there a reason for your question?"

"How would you feel about not telling my mom if I were to go on a date?" I asked casually. Pete laughed. Ali smiled.

"Oh. I see. So, you want to go on a date sometime soon?"

"I never said that. Besides, I don't really like the guy; actually, until recently I hated him."

"Hate is the closest thing to love." Pete chimed as he walked out of the kitchen. I scowled.

"Liar."

"He's right. Did I ever tell you how Pete and I met? He pushed me down the stairs at our high school. He was messing around with some buddies and he elbowed me. I fell down two flights. I wasn't seriously injured, so all he did was laugh. I hated him for the rest of the school year. He tried to talk to me and I rejected him. I was the only girl in school to do so, so he hated me right back. Two years it went on like that. Until one day, he asked me to a school dance. I had no one to go with so I accepted. Three days later we shared our first kiss."

"High school sweethearts?" I smiled. She nodded. I dried my hand and walked back over to my sketchbook, flipping to the page where I had drawn him staring at me. I looked at him carefully, still not quite getting the emotion.

"He looks like he's in love with the artist." Ali whispered into my ear, confidentially. I snorted.

"Yeah right. All the girls he goes out with have skimpy wardrobes and artificial personalities."

"Perhaps that's why he's in love with you; you're unique." She whispered again. It sent shivers down my spine. I glared at her.

"So when is this date?"

"He said tomorrow night at seven. He wanted to take me to dinner. I'm not planning on even getting dressed tomorrow, so he's in for a surprise."

"I wouldn't put it past a guy like that to drag you there in your pyjamas. I'd rethink your strategy. What is he covered in?" She said pointing to the wet splodges on his shirt and face.

"Guava Nectar. It's a long story." Ali laughed and began to prepare dinner.

"I won't tell your mother, though you probably should. She's been very protective of you since..."

"I know. I've been very protective of me too. But..." I looked back at his face, tracing his eyes with my finger and remembered the dreams. "He makes me feel safer." I shrugged, winced then yelled at myself again, amidst Ali's laughter.

When I went downstairs to sleep, I didn't even try. I got my pyjamas on and almost immediately after I heard Pete and Ali go to bed, I grabbed my bike. I started to walk my bike down the road a little, when a shiny silver Volvo pulled up beside me.

"Hop in. I thought you might be coming." Edward's musical voice called from the car. I ditched my bike and climbed into the car. I slid on my seatbelt and closed my eyes. It was much easier to let him drive when I couldn't see how fast he was going. We stopped a few minutes later. He held the doors open for me and we snuck into his house. We met no resistance again. I sat down on his bed and he sat on the piano stool.

"Any requests, or am I given freedom?" he repeated. I thought about it.

"The lullaby you played. Not the nocturne, or the sonata, the other one." He smiled and rested his fingers on the keys.

"What time would you like to wake up? It being a Saturday and all."

"Same as usual. I'm actually starting to realise just how many hours are in a day. It always seemed so short before, but now I'm up all day, I can get stuff done." I half-shrugged, winced and lay down.

He began to play and the waves of drowsiness settled over me quickly. I had the same dream, with the ghost piano and Edward's strong arms wrapped around me. Only one thing was different, we were facing each other, my head resting against his chest, his on top of mine. I smiled and fell into a deeper sleep.

After listening to her conversation with Ali, through Ali's mind I smiled. She had drawn me in her sketchbook. She was also planning on not going anywhere tomorrow, so I'd have to ask Alice and Rosalie for help. She requested her lullaby without realising that it was especially for her. When I was done playing I went over to her, stroking her hair with the lightest of touches. I traced her perfect features and marvelled at the warmth of her skin. I leant in to kiss her, so nearly touching her lips again, then I pulled away. She would never understand just how much she teased me. From her smiles and blushes, to her frowns and tears. Every move she made, I wanted to touch her, hold her safely in my arms, so that I could protect her, love her, and be with her. Never had anyone had so much influence over me. The others had described love to me, I had told them that I was fine alone, but never had I realised just how much was missing from my life. Until I met Isabella.

"Edward?" Esme asked from the door, at a volume only my kind could hear.

"It's safe." I replied in the same tone, still not moving from the bed. Esme came in and looked at me, my tormented expression, and she understood immediately.

"You really love her don't you?"

"I can't explain why. I've known her for not that long, and yet..." I couldn't finish. I looked at her unmoving figure.

"What are you thinking?" I asked her, whispering into her ear.

"Too easy." She replied. Esme looked at her, stunned.

"She will answer questions in her sleep. I think it's..." I searched for the right word.

"Lovable?" Esme supplied. I smiled at her. I refocused on Bella. "What's too easy?"

"Sneaking... gotten caught by either family... lucky." She sighed and stopped once more.

"Perhaps we should make it more difficult for you to sneak out in the morning." Esme suggested. I shrugged.

"Difficult, but not impossible please." I laughed. I stood and hugged her.

"It'll turn out eventually." Esme promised.

"Even if it did. She's human. When she finds out the truth, she'll react like they all do."

"I think she's a lot smarter than that. Give her some credit." Esme said and walked off again. I sat down, watching her, and began listening to the others.

Jasper. _He's starting to make me feel lovey-dovey again. Just like when I first met Alice._

Alice._ I'm not sharing my latest vision with you Edward. I know you're listening. I think it would make a lovely surprise._

I scowled, growling at her.

Esme. _I've never seen him so happy. It's like he's completely changed._

Carlisle. _Her shoulder is healing rapidly, but it'll still be months before she has regained full use of it. _

I didn't even try to go near Rosalie and Emmet. They were busy, I could hear it from down here. I looked at Bella's sleeping figure. I didn't think of her that way, not to an extreme. She was incredibly attractive, soft, slender, with a beautiful body figure. I was rather more focused on trying to keep her alive. It would seem an easy task, but she was an accident magnet. More so than any human I had ever met.

My mind flashed back to a few nights ago. She had almost taken a handful of Advil, enough to seriously injure, or even kill her. I almost ran in and stopped her, but Alice called and told me that she'd changed her mind, only seconds before she dropped the pills back into the bottle. I really began to wonder if a rape was what was causing her nightmares. Or perhaps it was her father's murder. Or there could be another hidden incentive.

Her nightmares. Why did I stop them? Why did my presence make the horrific dream disappear? I walked upstairs to find Alice and try and coerce her latest vision from her. In the morning I returned to find her lying on her injured shoulder. I winced, knowing that that would hurt when she woke. I slid my hands under her and ever so gently rolled her, so that she was lying on her other side. I slipped into my fake pyjamas, tousled my hair and woke her up. She sat up wincing.

"My shoulder is killing me." She moaned, trying to rub it.

"Stay here a minute." I disappeared and came back with some ibuprofen.

She gladly took it, thanking me. I began to hear loud footsteps thumping down the stairs and realised that Emmet was about to pay a surprise visit. She looked towards the door, hearing the footsteps and I saw her fear at being discovered here. I stood her up and backed her into my closet, motioning for her to stay quiet. I jumped onto the bed and grabbed a book from a nearby shelf, just as Emmet walked in. He winked at me.

"Hey bro."

"Emmet." I replied.

"Where are you taking Bella later?" he asked casually.

"To a restaurant."

"She'll hate you for it."

"I know." I smirked. Emmet stretched.

"Know what you're wearing?" he asked and turned towards the closet. We could both hear her heart pick up speed, though we also heard her move backwards, concealing herself amongst my clothes. I glared at Emmet.

"Not funny." I said swiftly, and at a volume no human could hear.

I was hiding amongst his clothes, feeling very much like I was playing hide and seek. I was extremely glad my pyjamas were black, but rather annoyed at the fact that my sling was white. I found a black shirt of his, pulling it gently off the hanger and placing it over the sling. With my hair in front of my face I was practically invisible. Emmet opened the closet and glanced in briefly. Edward pulled him away.

"I will ask for your help later brother. Until then, I would appreciate some privacy. I so rarely get any around here, especially with you and Jasper being the busy bodies you are." Emmet laughed and left. Edward looked into the closet. He frowned.

"Bella?"

I moved forward and he smiled.

"Nice."

"I could say the same." I said, tripping over a pair of his shoes. He caught me, one handed, on my good side.

"Careful." I twisted out of his grip, ignoring my heart rate and stood by his door, listening. He went out first, making sure no one was there, then took my hand and pulled me towards the back door.

The electricity flowing through our hands made it hard to concentrate. We ran to his car and he drove me to where I had left my bike.

"Oh by the way, I really do appreciate the new bike. I could've never made the one-handed ride with the old one; it's gears were messed up." I said as we stopped. He turned and glared at me. I smiled and got out of the Volvo. I picked up the bike and began to walk off.

"See you tonight." He called from the car as he fishtailed and spun to drive back home.

"Show off." I muttered as I walked. I put my bike against the wall and slipped in to my bedroom.

I lay down, yawning and grabbed a few more hours of sleep. No nightmares. When I finally got up, Ali was talking to Pete over the breakfast table. I sat and looked at my sketchbook. I flipped to a new page, after the three portraits of Edward and began drawing Pete and Ali. I drew them together, hugging each other. It was a rougher sketch, but I was making it more detailed when Ali started complimenting it.

"My word Bella! You are really talented!"

"I haven't even finished yet!" I protested, showing them the pad, fully. Pete looked sad.

"I'm taller than that!" he sulked. It made me laugh.

The day went by pretty quickly, I drew during most of it. I had noticed that when someone wants something to happen, the day crawls by slowly, prolonging the time until the event. When someone doesn't want something to happen, the day goes by at a pace much quicker than that someone would like.

Before I knew it, it was nearly seven o'clock. I went to my closet and pulled on Charlie's varsity sweater over my pyjamas. It was the shabbiest thing I owned now, thanks to Alice's shopping spree. I sat at the kitchen table, drawing the ocean view from the Cullen's kitchen. Ali came down, looked at my outfit, sighed, and went back upstairs. Her and Pete were redecorating their room, and needed time alone to argue about colours and furniture arrangements. I stayed sat until I heard a knock on the front door.

"Come on in Edward." I smiled, continuing to draw. He opened the door, cautiously and walked in. He scowled at the way I was dressed. I had to stop myself from gasping at his apparel. He was in a dark red, silk shirt, black dress pants and he had a black suede jacket over his arm.

"So where's the Chinese?" I asked innocently, when I could breathe. Edward smirked and turned back towards the door.

"You were right." He said to someone, and suddenly I heard a laugh. Alice. She and Rosalie walked in, carrying a few bags.

"No. Nyet. Nullus. Ochi. Nei." English, Russian, Latin, Greek, Norwegian. All meant no. They simply laughed and dragged me upstairs.

"Edward do not touch that sketchbook!" I warned him.

He nodded, placing his hands behind his back. It didn't take long for Alice and Rose to transform me. Ali walked in as I cried for help. She laughed and walked back out again.

"Why will no one help me?"

"We _are_ helping you."

"No you're not. It's torture again." I complained.

They curled my hair, pinning it up elaborately. Alice did my makeup, very far from natural colours this time, heading towards extreme blues. They forced me into a blue, strapless, silk dress. It was knee length at the front and almost floor length at the back. I thought it looked ridiculous. Alice put me into silver heels. They then dragged me back downstairs. I almost fell down the stairs as they dragged me. When I got there Edward and Pete were talking. Pete saw me first and nodded appreciatively. Edward turned around and his jaw dropped. I stood there scowling at him as Alice and Rosalie introduced themselves, and then promptly left. Ali came walking from the living room, with a colour palette in her hands. She nearly fell over.

"I don't think that's what you were wearing ten minutes ago." She said, looking astounded. I sighed, looking at the floor. Edward seemed to regain his control, for he walked to the door, holding it open for me. I stayed still.

"We're already running late, and the reservations were for eight thirty." He smiled. I scowled again, wondering just how much money he had spent.

I said a quick goodbye to Pete and Ali, then climbed into his silver Volvo. He closed the door gently for me, staring with that same emotion in his eyes. Maybe Ali was right. Maybe it was love.

As we drove, I looked at him, trying to ignore the speedometer. He looked fantastic. The red shirt contrasted with his white skin. It was a beautiful red too, blood red. As soon as I thought it I laughed. He looked at me, questioning.

"You don't want to know. Well you might, but give me a few more days to figure it fully." I said. He seemed irritated by my answer.

"What are you thinking?"

"Wondering where you're taking me."

"There's more."

"Wondering why you're taking me."

"There's more."

"You don't want to hear it." I muttered. He looked at me irritated again.

"It's strange, not knowing what you're thinking."

"I just told you."

"You edited." He complained. His eyes still hadn't left mine.

"Um, at the speed you're going I would really prefer you look at the road." I pointed out nervously. He laughed. "How am I different from others that way?" I asked. He seemed to think carefully before answering.

"With most people it's easy to read their thoughts, on their faces. You're like an actress in the way that your true feelings never show."

I smiled. "I'm a terrible liar though."

"But you're good at answering with half-truths." He pointed out. I sighed.

"I suppose." I looked back at him, seeing his slight frown. "What are _you_ thinking?" This made him laugh.

"Wondering how you'll react to tonight."

"I'll probably fall asleep or something similar." I shrugged, then winced. "Have you noticed that my bruises match my dress?"

"Oh really?" he looked at me. My shoulder bruises were blue-black, turning slightly green. He didn't look back at the road.

"Watch the damn road." I snapped.

"I've never been in an accident." He smiled.

"I seem to have a lot of bad luck running around right now, so humour me, okay?"

When we got to the place I hung my head. It was the Chateau du Sureau. This was a five star resort, making it a very expensive restaurant. I wouldn't be surprised if we were underdressed. Edward offered me his arm, as he let the valet park his Volvo. I only took it because the stairs leading towards the restaurant looked dangerous, especially in heels. The electricity sparked again as my hand lay on his arm. Luckily I didn't even almost-fall. When I walked into the restaurant I saw many other couples, some dressed more fancily, others about the same. Edward nodded to the hostess and walked directly to a table.

"Seat yourself why don't you?" I asked. He laughed.

"I requested this table. Best view." He pointed out of the window.

I could see the beautiful gardens, fountains and a starry night sky. I had to admit, it looked incredible. Not out loud of course. Edward sat staring at me for a moment.

"Stop."

"What? Oh, right _staring_." He mimicked before I could reply.

"Took you long enough to learn." I said. A waitress walked over and asked what drinks we would like. I decided to stick to simple.

"Just water please." Edward glared at me. "We'll order something else later." I compromised.

The waitress walked off again, glancing too frequently at Edward. I couldn't blame her, at least I had a reason to be watching him.

I tore my eyes away and glanced at the drinks menu.

"I'm assuming you won't let me have anything alcoholic, so I'll have..." I looked at some of the more daring names of cocktails and smiled. Sex with a Shark, Screaming Orgasm, Sloe Screw Against the Wall, and Sex with the Devil all sounded ridiculously tempting, (in a 'might-embarrass-Edward' kind of way) but I went simple. "Virgin strawberry daiquiri." Edward nodded approvingly.

"Simple, yet delicious." I raised my eyebrows.

I was positive he didn't eat or drink human food by now, so his statement threw me off guard. He warned me with his eyes. I dropped it.

I looked at the food menu instead, noting that there were no prices beside any of the meals. This meant that the meals most likely cost more than my outfit, which I was sure was in the hundreds. The mushroom ravioli looked exquisite. Edward didn't even look.

"Not eating?" I asked casually.

"I know the meals." He replied sharply.

We stared each other down for a while, until the waitress reappeared. She looked incredible. Her red, straight hair was beautiful, her elegant frame was tall, slender, model-like, her eyes were a startling green and her skin was porcelain white. Edward paid little to no attention to her. She slipped him a note and then asked for our orders. Edward motioned for me to go first and the girl looked at me, with an annoyed expression in her eyes.

"To drink; Virgin strawberry daiquiri. To eat; Mushroom ravioli. Please."

"To drink, tell the chef my name, he'll get my usual. To eat; the Bird's Nest soup."

I stifled a gasp. Depending on the type of bird nest it could range anywhere from sixty to thousands of dollars. I had heard on the Discovery Channel that the most expensive bowl of Bird's Nest Soup was a startling 3000.

Still, him eating surprised me. I couldn't hold it in any longer; the question just sort of slipped out when the waitress left.

"Why did you order?" I asked. Edward looked confused.

"This is a restaurant."

"No, I mean... you don't eat, at least not like us." I ventured. He growled at me, making me lean back in surprise. He stopped and composed himself.

"Let's talk about something else." I whispered.

"Oh?"

"What is that?" I asked pointing to the note the waitress had given him. He sighed and without looking at it answered.

"Her name and phone number." Edward gauged my reaction and I kept my face free of emotion.

The truth was; I was trying not to laugh. He looked away and I permitted myself a smile, quickly covering it with my hand. I picked up the note, it was indeed her phone number.

"How many of these do you get I wonder?"

"One per restaurant usually." He shrugged, resting his chin on his hands. I had to laugh. He looked confused.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm trying to picture it. I wonder how many 'model-like' girls you've been with." I looked out of the window, watching the beautiful night and the lit fountains. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Payment, for the piano sessions." He smiled. I glared at him. "Because I wanted to." He answered more seriously.

He stared at me and his eyes filled with the emotion again. I wanted so badly to ask him the questions that had plagued me for a while, but I was afraid that it might ruin the night. So I started asking instead, about the upcoming Biology test.


	6. Chapter 6

BPOV

EPOV

She was determined. Bella was sitting at the table, with her pyjamas on. I was half tempted to take her like that. Instead, my gentlemanlike qualities pushed through and I called in Alice and Rosalie. They practically carried her up the stairs. I could hear her yelling at them, using quite a colourful vocabulary. Ali came downstairs and saw me waiting in the hallway.

"Pete. You wanted to meet him, he's here." She called. She walked up to me, shook my hand, smiled and walked into the other room. _The sketch was so similar, and he is quite a looker. He does look like the playboy type though, I hope Bella knows what she's doing. Now where did I put the colour pallet?_

Pete came wearily down the stairs. He took in my appearance.

"So where are you taking her?"

"Chateau du Sureau." I shrugged. His eyebrows shot up in response. "She'll hate you for that you know." He walked behind me, leaning on one of the kitchen chairs, I turned to face him.

"I know. But she needs to be spoiled."

"Be careful with her. I swear to you boy, if you hurt her it will be the last thing you do." He stared at me. I nodded, seeing the sincerity behind his words.

"I appreciate that. Um, have her home by midnight would you?" He asked. I smiled in response.

"Do you think she'd be able to stay awake that long?" I retorted casually. Pete chuckled and then his expression changed. _Wow._

I turned to see Bella, my breath caught and my jaw dropped. She looked incredible, even with the sling, she stole the room. Everything about her tempted me, not in a bloodthirsty way, but in a very human manner. I could hear her blood rushing, as she blushed and tried to scowl at me. I barely noticed Alice and Rosalie leave. While I was driving she laughed unexpectedly. I looked at her, wondering what she could possibly be laughing at.

"You don't want to know. Well you might, but give me a few more days to figure it fully."

Her answer irritated me. I hated not knowing what she was thinking. Her beautiful eyes so rarely gave anything away, and tonight, everything else about her was that little more distracting also.

"What are you thinking?" I asked carefully.

"Wondering where you're taking me." She was holding back.

"There's more."

"Wondering why you're taking me." Still holding back.

"There's more."

"You don't want to hear it." I looked at her, more annoyed than ever.

"It's strange, not knowing what you're thinking." I slipped, then realised my mistake.

"I just told you."

"You edited." I complained. I looked at her beautiful face again, overcome by the urge to touch her again.

"Um, at the speed you're going I would really prefer you look at the road." I had to laugh at that, she worried about the silliest things. "How am I different from others that way?" she pushed.

I had to make sure my words were safe before I even opened my mouth.

"With most people it's easy to read their thoughts, on their faces. You're like an actress in the way that your true feelings never show."

"I'm a terrible liar though."

"But you're good at answering with half-truths." I frowned. It was infuriating when she did that. It made it so much harder to figure her out.

"I suppose. What are _you_ thinking?" I laughed again. She could make me laugh so easily, more than even my family sometimes. But it was just the way she thought. She thought so differently to everyone else though.

By the time we had sat down in the restaurant, part of me wanted to propose to her. Part of me wanted to kiss her. Part of me wanted to warn her. The rest wanted to see how tonight would play out.

"So Mitosis, Osmosis and the structure and function of the cells will be on it?"

"I believe so. It wouldn't hurt to know some of the nutrients needed and processed by each part also." He replied. I sighed, my lips pursing. He smiled at the action, so I stopped and looked at him instead.

"Are you ready for the test then?"

"Yes, but I found this unit rather easy. I'm sure you'll do fine." He comforted me. I scowled. I slipped my feet out of my shoes and tucked one under me. My dress swished with the movement.

"I hate this dress." I complained. He looked genuinely surprised.

"Why? It looks absolutely fantastic, especially on you." He said quickly. I blushed and looked down.

"It's too expensive, too delicate, too shiny and it makes me nervous." I replied swiftly.

"It's figure flattering, full of movement, breathtaking to look at and it makes you look gorgeous." He replied, under his breath. I blushed even harder, staring determinedly out of the window. Our drinks and meals arrived then. When I looked at his glass my stomach clenched. It looked like red wine, but by the faint aroma wafting from it, I knew it wasn't. That made more sense, considering what he was. I sipped my daiquiri, enjoying the sweet taste and he stared at me again.

"Can I ask you something? It's all hypothetical of course." I added innocently. He nodded cautiously. "Let's say someone could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know – with a few exceptions."

"Just one exception." He corrected. "Hypothetically."

"How does that work? What are the limitations? How would...that someone... find someone else at exactly the right time? How would he know she was in trouble?" I thought back to the bike incident, and the rock climbing incident, the first one. He stared at me, deciding something.

"That someone."

"Let's call him Joe."

"Joe then." He smiled wryly. "If Joe had been paying attention, the timings wouldn't have needed to be so exact. Only you could get into so much trouble in such a short amount of time."

"We were speaking hypothetically." I reminded him frostily. He laughed at me, his eyes warm.

"Shall we call you Jane?"

"How did you know?" I pushed. He wavered again, between two sides. "You can trust me you know."

"I don't know if I have a choice anymore, you're too observant for your own good." He stared at me, my untouched food and back again.

"You eat, I'll talk."

I stabbed a piece of ravioli, popping it into my mouth. It was delicious. He leant back, taking a sip of his 'wine'. I saw his tongue collect a spare drop from his lip.

"I was following you, that night with the car. You seemed too distracted to pay attention to anything properly, and you were cycling, wearing black, in the middle of the night. If I had been reading the driver, I would've snatched you sooner, but I was still futilely trying to read you." He paused, staring at me; I had stopped eating. I sipped my daiquiri and started eating again. "I had to replace your bike, a handprint where I'd destroyed the metal would've brought up too many questions."

"I realised that." I paused and smiled. "Okay say this Joe has a sister named Betty. I've noticed that Betty seems to be oddly good at waking me up, moments before the really important stuff happens. Is that what alerted you to the rock climbing incident?" As I spoke his eyes narrowed.

"Too observant. Yes, Betty has premonitions. She saw you climbing without a harness and warned me."

"Betty has a boyfriend; Bob. He can control emotions. How does that one work?" I asked, feeling ridiculous. Edward half-growled.

"_Bob_ can sense and alter emotions yes."

"All the other friends I can't find gifts for, unless you count childishness as a gift." I said, recalling Emmet on many different occasions. I was halfway done my ravioli when he put his head into his hands.

"Are they all so obvious?"

"No. It took tons of time to form speculations. Besides, when you can't do anything but sleep during the day, you get to have some pretty crazy dreams."

"I promise to you Bella I will explain everything, but not here." I understood. I kicked him under the table, making him jump. He looked up at me, carefully.

"So, back to regular questions then." I smiled at him. He took a few sips of his soup and his 'wine' and smiled, casually leaning back.

"What's your favourite colour?" he asked. I had to think hard about that one. I was staring at his shirt when I answered.

"Dark red, right now anyway. It changes from day to day."

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly. When I was finished, Edward stood, offering me his arm. I slid my shoes back on, sighing and stood. I took his arm, a little tighter this time; I was more tired. We walked out of the restaurant, Edward oblivious to the stares he was getting. When we got into his Volvo he drove, far too quickly, into the middle of nowhere. We sat in the dark car, listening to each other breathing. A hundred random thoughts crossed my mind, before he finally spoke.

"What have you figured about us?" I answered in a whisper, staring only at my hand.

"You don't eat human food. You are super strong, super fast, super beautiful. You aren't human. You are dangerous, you try to be safe. You try to appear normal. Alice has visions of the future. You can read people's minds. Jasper can control and sense emotions. Emmet has a weird sense of humour." He laughed then, I continued. "Your eyes change depending on how recently you've fed."

"Do you know what we are?" he whispered.

"Yes. But it wasn't because I figured it out, not fully anyway. A friend of mine, from Forks visited. He heard that I was spending a lot of time with you and came to warn me. He didn't actually believe the legends he told me, but it all fell into place after that." I looked at him and felt a pang of fear; he looked livid again. "You Edward Cullen, are a vampire."

Edward got out of the car and sat on the hood, his head in his hands. He stood up again and ran off. I slid out of the car and sat on the hood.

"Very mature." I murmured, seeing him nowhere and lay back, looking at the stars.

"I'm sorry." His voice came from beside my ear and I jumped up in alarm. He was leaning over, his face inches from my ear. "It's just... you weren't supposed to find out, at all. Let alone so suddenly, so accurately. It's infuriating. One girl having the power to expose our entire family for what we are."

"I wouldn't do that." I whispered. "We all have our secrets." I stood and kicked off my shoes, feeling the dry grass beneath my bare feet. I sat down in a very unladylike manner and rested my head against his car. Edward sat beside me.

"Don't you care?"

"What?" I asked.

"Don't you care that I'm a monster?"

"You aren't a monster. You're just not human. I've seen a real monster and he was as human as I am. You will never be able to convince me that you are a monster Edward." I stared at him and he stared back. Our faces were only a foot apart. "Besides, Alice is the monster if anything. She keeps subjecting me to torture."

Edward laughed his musical laugh again.

"I do have some questions."

"Like what?" he asked quietly.

"How can you come out during the day?"

"Myth."

"You obviously can't be burned by the sun."

"Obviously."

"Sleep in coffins?"

"Myth. We can't sleep at all actually. The whole pyjamas and beds and sleepovers thing is a facade."

"Wow. You had me fooled. Do you have anything against garlic?"

"Not personally." He chuckled.

"Crosses?"

"We have two in our house."

"Holy water?"

"Good for showers." That one made me laugh.

"Steak through the heart?"

"Our skin is impenetrable."

"Are you immortal?"

"None of us have died of old age, it's impossible to know exactly unless we all stuck around until the end of time." I sat, thinking about everything. We sat for the longest time. Oddly enough, I was calm.

"Aren't you concerned about my diet?" he asked.

"Well, I know the wine you had wasn't wine. How the hell did you manage that?"

"The chef thinks I'm a millionaire with odd tastes. I only ever eat soups, if I go at all, and rabbit and snake blood are delicacies in China. So that's what I drink. He has a bottle specially reserved for me." He paused, and turned my face towards his with his fingers. My heart thudded at the touch. "But from day to day, my family sticks to animal blood. Deer, bears, lions, whatever we can find."

"Why? Not that I'm complaining – but why go against your nature?"

"I don't want to be a monster."

"Edward..." I warned him. It made him laugh.

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

"I'm always afraid, of everything."

"Except climbing up walls without a harness."

"Yeah that."

We stared into each other's eyes and I leaned in, inhaling his scent. He disappeared. Edward was standing ten feet away. I could feel the hurt and shock on my face. It was exceptionally hard to see him, in his dark clothing, so late in the night, but he looked agitated, or excited.

"Sorry." I whispered.

"Wait a moment." He eventually walked, slowly back towards me.

"What did I do?"

"You smelled good."

"In a bad way, or in a good way?"

"Both. I was, overcome by thirst, momentarily." He stared at me, and the realisation of my situation began to stir up true fear. I couldn't move though. He had never seemed less human, or more beautiful.

"I'm the world's best predator aren't I? Everything about me attracts you. My smell, my voice, my appearance." He sighed. "As if I need any of that!" He ran off, at a regular pace, stopping fifty meters from me. I blinked and suddenly he was beside me. "As if you could outrun me." I sat, not leaning against the car anymore. He lifted it, with one hand, high above his head, balancing it. He then threw it, the shiny Volvo spun far off into the distance until he ran and caught it. He carried it back, settling it exactly where it had been before. He crouched beside me again.

"As if you could fight me off." He whispered. I sat, staring at him in the moonlight, my heart was pounding, though it wasn't from fear.

"Don't be afraid." He whispered. He rested his icy cold fingertips on my heart. It was pounding so loudly I was sure it was going to break.

"I'm not. Tell me; why did you run from me?"

"You know why." He said, sitting back down, resting his head against the car, a look of disgust on his face.

"No I mean, what did I do wrong exactly? I want to help make this easier." I said, smiling. He looked up at me, incredulous. "I don't have a death wish remember? I want to make this easy for both of us." His face softened and his eyes filled with that emotion again.

"It was just how close you were. Most humans are repelled by our inhumanness. And I suppose, the smell of your throat." His eyes excited again and he pressed his fingers to his temples. My mind was telling me to be scared, but my body was calm. I ducked my chin.

"Okay, no throat exposure." It worked, he laughed again. We sat there in the dark, staring at the stars, until I began to fall asleep. When I woke up, my head was in Edward's lap and he was absentmindedly stroking my hair. He was still watching the stars, whispering to himself. I sat up slowly. He looked down, smiling kind of awkwardly.

"I fell asleep." I stated, unnecessarily. He smiled less awkwardly.

"You woke up just in time. I was about to start driving you home. It's getting late." So he picked himself up and held out his hand for me. I took it and was pulled to my feet instantly. He opened the car door and shut it behind me. As we were driving back, he turned on his CD player. Claire de Lune filled the car.

"Claire de Lune?"

"You know Debussy?"

"My mother used to play a lot of classical music around the house. I know my favourites."

He hummed along with the tune, while he was driving and I drifted, unwillingly into unconsciousness again. There were so many questions I wanted to ask... But his musical voice and delightful smell, along with the quiet purr of the car, put me to sleep in mere seconds.

I dreamt of the ghost piano again, and Edward's arms tucked around me. He gently kissed my hair and I sat, content all night.

I was driving her home when she called my name. I looked over to her, to see her asleep. She smiled, sighed and said my name again, in an almost loving tone. My heart wrenched. I wanted so badly to tell her how much I loved her. I wanted to hold her in my arms, just as I had when she fell asleep earlier tonight. It was funny. We had been staring calmly at the stars, neither of us knowing quite what to say, when her head suddenly pressed against my shoulder. It then slipped and I caught her, before she smacked into my leg. I lay her head there, stroking her hair, admiring her beauty, for almost an hour. I gazed up at the stars again.

"What god could play such an evil trick as this? Make the lion fall in love with the lamb? What evil did I do in a previous life, to have deserved this torture so thoroughly?" I was positive she couldn't hear me, but at that moment she sat up. She looked slightly confused and quite guilty.

"I fell asleep." She said. I had tried not to laugh; it was practically inevitable.

When we were in the car again I hummed along to Debussy and in seconds she was asleep again. She must feel safe and comfortable around me. Part of me hated that; I was dangerous and should be treated like the monster I am. Part of me was glad; I felt safe and comfortable around her too. I drove her straight home, gently stopping the car and getting out. I opened the door and slid my hands under her, lifting her out of the car, as gently as I could manage. She snuggled in closer to me and my heart wrenched again. I closed the door with my foot and glided as carefully as I could to the door.

_I heard a car door. She's home._ I heard Pete think and moments later he opened the door. He tried not to laugh as I smiled.

'Shh." I whispered. He nodded and directed me down to her room. Ali came down and had to put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. She followed me downstairs, opening any closed doors for me. I lay Bella on her bed as gently as possible. Her hand clutched my shirt as I tried to pull away.

"Let go Bella." I whispered.

"Why?" she asked, still sleeping.

"Because you're asleep." I reminded her. She let go. I said goodbye to Ali and Pete and left. When I got home I sat in the car for a moment. I then ran back to her house. Ali had taken Bella's shoes off and was unzipping her dress. I looked away. I sat waiting until I was sure it may be safe to look again.

"Oh, the bruises on her ribs! She is an accident magnet." Ali whispered to herself. _Nice and warm. She won't need two blankets, just the one._ I looked again, through the trees and saw Bella, tucked under a blanket. Ali left and I quickly let myself in. I sat on the edge of her bed, like I did most nights now, and watched her. Her makeup was still on, making her look more like a posed model, than a sleeping teenager. I sat watching her all night, admiring her even breathing, her flickering eyelids; letting me know she was dreaming. When I heard her breathing become more irregular and I saw her smile, I knew she was waking up. I abruptly left, just as silently as I arrived.

"I love you." I whispered as I left.

As I was waking, Edward whispered 'I love you'. I smiled even more and opened my eyes to my ceiling.

"How the hell did that happen?" The question had two contexts; One – how the hell did I end up at home, unclothed in my bed? Two – how the hell did I get to the point where I wanted Edward to whisper those words to me? I could've sworn I hated him. I tried to remember back to where I had stopped hating him and I couldn't find it. Pete was right. Hate is the closest thing to love. I would have to be careful now. I couldn't let him know, not unless I was sure he felt the same way. I sat up, covering myself with the thin blanket and went to take a shower. I washed all of the makeup and hair products out, until I felt like plain old Bella again. I dried off, got dressed and went to find Pete and Ali.

They were painting. They had enough money to hire a thousand decorators, but they enjoyed the actual process of decorating, so they did it themselves. I was careful not to touch anything when I walked into the room.

"Hey sleepy!" Pete laughed. He was covered in paint.

"How was your night?" Ali asked. She hadn't a single drop on her. The difference between these two made me laugh so often.

"Um. I don't remember much after dinner." Lie, I remembered everything after dinner, except where I had fallen asleep. "We were driving home and..." I trailed shrugging, and wincing.

"Edward carried you inside, you were fast asleep Bella." Pete laughed.

"I stayed up most of the night!" I complained. Ali hugged me. Pete came over to do the same and I shrieked, ducking away.

"So what happened?" Ali asked.

"We talked. We ate. He took me to the Chateau du Sureau for Pete's sake! Oh, um, no pun intended."

"Wow. High class. Did you have fun?" Ali asked. I nodded. "Despite the fact that you hate him?" she prodded. I couldn't help it, I blushed. Ali smiled, knowingly and continued painting.

"I like the colour guys." The phone rang then and I picked it up.

"Bella! Tell me everything! Edward hasn't been home yet, so none of us know anything and it's driving me insane!" It was Alice. I walked down into the rarely used living room and carefully talked.

"Um, we talked, we ate, he drove me home."

"There's more. You're holding out. What did...did he kiss you?"

"No!" I practically yelled. "It wasn't like that. Look, this is really a conversation you'd better have with Edward." Alice moaned and complained, but I was barely listening. I was imagining him kissing me, again. What would it be like? Would it be as explosive as the first time, or better, or worse?

"Bella!"

"Sorry... what?"

"Would you like to come over later?"

"Um, I have to ask Pete and Ali, hold on a second." I walked back upstairs.

"Ali? Would it be okay if I went over Alice's later?"

"Why?" Pete asked. "A second date already?" I blushed and I heard Alice laugh through the phone.

"Alice wants to hear all about it right? She wants to know every detail of the date?"

"I am so glad I have a woman in the house who understands the workings of the teenage mind." I sighed.

"I don't get it. Why doesn't Alice just ask her brother?" Pete asked. Ali, Alice and I all laughed. Pete, realising this was way out of his territory shrugged and went back to painting. Ali gave her permission and I accepted Alice's invitation, wondering just how awkward that conversation would be. I was also wondering where Edward was. I went downstairs and sat on my bed, looking at my recently acquired dress. From the corner of my eye I saw a flash of white. I walked over to my dresser and picked up my hairbrush. It had a mirror on the back. I tilted it to look discreetly out of the window behind me and saw him. He was resting against a tree, observing. _Stalking._ My mind supplied. I refused to believe that. A real stalker wouldn't make himself so noticeable. Mine hadn't.

"Come on in Edward." I said. He jumped back, startled, smiled and jumped swiftly over the pool. He came in, looking curious.

"How did you know?"

"Maybe I can read minds," I laughed, "no, Alice called and told me you hadn't gone home yet, and I saw you with the eyes in the back of my head." I added seriously. He jumped playfully behind me, lifting my hair, searching for the hidden eyes. I laughed again and went to sit on my bed.

"Why haven't you gone home yet?"

"I don't want to face Alice. She can be scary when she wants to be."

"Well I don't want to explain to your family what I've learned, all by myself. I'd rather you go first and tell them beforehand. That way, if they decide to shut me up at least I'll be prepared." I half joked. I was actually afraid that they might not like a human knowing their secret. Edward glared at me.

"They would never hurt you. I would never let them." He added more quietly. My heart leapt again and I forced myself to act normally. I looked up at the ceiling. Dust must have tickled my nose because I sneezed. And boy it hurt. I sneezed twice more and was practically crying. Edward began searching for my pain medication. I pointed to the dresser. He handed me some ibuprofen. I swallowed it dry, it was easy; the pills were small. I sat, waiting for the pills to take effect. It would take about twenty minutes. Until then, I tried not to breathe or move. Edward sat, carefully beside me, and gently held my hand while I waited for the pain to stop. I looked down at his cold hand, softly clasping mine and my heart fluttered again. I began to feel dizzy and I realised that I hadn't breathed in a while. As I drew in the breath I inhaled his scent and the moment was too much. I passed out.

When I woke up I was lying on my bed. Edward was looking worriedly at me, clearly wondering if he should get Ali and Pete.

"I'm okay." I said, sitting up slowly. The room spun once and stopped. I looked at his worried face. "My shoulder was hurting, I hadn't breathed in a while, and you smelled really good." I admitted. He gave a small smile. I took his hand again, using it as support. I stood up and realised that the pain meds still hadn't quite had the time to make my shoulder feel better. Edward was still holding my hand, and I realised that the strange electricity was running through both of us.

"No twenty questions today?"

"Do my questions bother you?"

"Your reactions do."

"Do I react badly?"

"No you take everything so coolly. It's unnerving."

"You never answered some of my questions from last night." I reminded him. He frowned and thought back.

"What ones?"

"How does the mind reading thing work? Can you read everyone anywhere? Why do you think you can't hear me?"

"I can't hear everyone everywhere. I'm limited to about a four mile radius. If I've heard someone's mind before it can be more, and with my brethren it's the farthest. I think I can't hear you because your mind is...how do I explain this? It's like I'm an old radio. I can pick up all of the am frequency, but you are a brand new station on fm."

"So my mind doesn't work right? I'm a freak or something?"

"I hear voices in my mind and you're worried you're the freak?" I had to admit, it did sound kind of silly. I let go of his hand and started to push him towards the door.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You have to talk to your family. It's the only thing I'm demanding. If I have to face a house full of angry vampires, I want to know about it." I said. He smiled again and leaned towards me, as if about to kiss me. I froze. He lifted his hand to my face and stroked my face, from my temple, tracing my cheekbone, to my nose. And then he was gone. I was finding it suddenly hard to breathe. I sat down and tried to think clearly again. At around two o'clock I was snapped out of my meditation by the phone. It was Alice, she sounded tense.

"Um Bella, you can come now. Do you need a ride?"

"No, I'm fine Alice."

I biked, trying to clear my head. I pedalled as fast as possible, using only one hand. I eventually got to the no-hand stage. That was easier. It was a little easier to control my balance. When I finally got to the house, Edward was waiting for me. He looked almost angry.

"I would've driven you." He pointed out.

"Biking is healthier." I retorted. He hugged me. It was an unexpected move, but a welcome one. I stayed there, in his cold, strong embrace, until he sighed and let go.

"Come on. They want to talk to you." Edward pulled me inside. I sat at the kitchen table. I didn't even flinch when they all suddenly appeared beside me, but that probably had something to do with the large dose of ibuprofen running through my system. Rosalie looked angry. Esme looked smug. Carlisle looked cautious. Jasper looked curious. Alice looked hyper. Emmet looked nervous, but only because he was watching Rosalie. Edward I couldn't see, he stood beside me.

No one spoke. I realised I needed to sneeze again.

"Shit." I said right before it, then sneezed. A flash of pain shot through my shoulder. Edward winced and Carlisle came forward.

"Have you..."

"I took two ibuprofen about three hours ago." I said. Now that the tense atmosphere was broken, everyone seemed to relax a little. Something occurred to me.

"Hey Edward?"

"Yes?"

"How old are you?" I asked, looking at him.

"Seventeen." He answered promptly, smiling. I opened my mouth to restate the question.

"I was born," he interrupted, "in 1901. In 1918 Carlisle found me in a hospital dying of the Spanish Influenza."

My eyes were full of questions, I was smiling, and yet my mouth was agape, trying to absorb that information. Edward was a century old. The others took in my reaction, seeming pleased, yet they had questions of their own.

"How did you figure it out?" Alice asked. They all sat at the table and I closed my eyes, starting from the beginning. I told them all the hints I'd seen, the small abnormalities that gave them away. I laughed when I realised the irony at watching Dracula in a house full of vampires. They seemed to absorb everything, until finally they sat smiling. Well everyone but Rosalie did.

"Aren't you scared?" Esme asked, bemused.

"Can't Jasper tell you?" I asked, a small smile on my face. "I'm not, though I realise I should be. I'm maybe a little scared of Rosalie right now though." They looked at her and she got up and disappeared.

"I'm confused. I thought she liked me?"

"She doesn't like having the family's fate in your hands."

"Hand. I can't use the other one." This got a smile from Esme and Carlisle and a laugh from Emmet. "Besides, I wouldn't tell on you guys. Everyone has their secrets." It was then that I saw a flash of guilt overcome Alice's face. My stomach dropped.

"Alice?" I asked quietly. She looked down at her hands.

"Edward and I did some research." She admitted. I stopped breathing, waiting for the end. "We found out about your father, and his murder. Bella I'm so sorry." Alice said. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

"It's okay. I guess you have the right to know a little about me. Re-level the playing field." I shrugged and winced. As long as the rest stayed hidden I was fine. We stared at each other for a while.

"So I'm assuming you heard all about last night?" I asked. Alice jumped up excitedly.

"Actually, no. We only got the after dinner conversation. I want to know everything you were thinking!"

"Um, how about a compromise. Twenty questions, but I ask one, then you, then me." Alice nodded and dragged me to her room.

"Was he a good gentleman sort, or was he acting more like a player?"

"Gentleman, well except when he growled at me."

"Growled at you?"

"Nuh uh, my turn. How old are you all?"

"Jasper is twenty six, I am twenty, I think, Esme is twenty eight, Carlisle is twenty six, Emmet is twenty nine, Rosalie is twenty three. Edward is seventeen."

"Give or take eighty odd years." I pointed out.

"He growled at you?" The next thirty minutes we spent answering questions. I found out that Jasper was the youngest of all of them, followed by Alice, then Rosalie, then Esme, then Edward, Carlisle being the first of the bizarre family. I found out about their super-senses. The fact that they knew I had come to sleep at their house. The fact that everyone in the house could hear what we were saying anyway, so doors and walls were really no use. It got to Alice's last question when I wouldn't answer.

"How do you feel about my brother?"

"Emmet is still scary yet fun looking." She growled at me. I tried to convey with my eyes that I did not want Edward or the others to hear this. She took me to a computer and told me to type my answer.

"But your thoughts?"

"I can block Edward." She grinned very menacingly and I turned back to the blank word document. What to type? His smell intoxicated me, his presence uplifted me, his eyes smothered me, his smile dazzled me, his voice was literally the most beautiful sound ever, his touch made me feel safe. It was then I realised just how much I loved him. I loved him.

When I typed it, I typed a whole bunch of nonsense, to make it sound like I was actually writing something important. Amidst it all I typed three words.

Bunny rabbits can't fly without the miracle of paper airplanes. My underwear is blue silk, I think you'd like it. Thirteen is my favourite number. The dot on top of the 'i' is called a tittle. I love him. The sky is only blue on Thursdays. You can only win on Wednesday – before the apocalypse. I like this randomness

Alice laughed at my randomness. I could only imagine what Edward was thinking, or imagining right now. She saw the three little words and kissed my hair.

Then I can't wait to see Edward's reaction when he eventually realises it

She deleted it all and took me by the hand upstairs. Edward was looking angry. He was also humming at the top of his lungs.

"What are you doing to him?" I asked Alice.

"Remembering a very eventful night between Jasper and myself." She replied grinning menacingly again. "However, Jasper darling, we may have to make some new memories soon, Bella's opinion is very hard to drown out." Alice said, she wrapped her arms around the neck of her mate and he cleared his throat.

"It sounds good to me."

I laughed and went over to Edward. I stared him straight in the eyes.

"It was nothing bad. Don't worry."

Suddenly Alice gasped and came up behind me. Her hand slid down the back of my shorts and she giggled. Especially since I jumped up in shock.

"No personal boundaries. What the hell Alice?"

"Just checking. And you're right, I do like them." She meant the blue silk underwear.

"Well you bought them for me."

"True." I smiled. Edward and Jasper realised what we were talking about and immediately looked embarrassed.

"Let's do something." I searched around the room, looking for inspiration. I saw a chess board and pointed. "How good are you guys at chess?"

Alice and Edward playing chess was hilarious. He would think about making a move, she would see it and make her move depending on what she saw. Edward would see Alice seeing him making the move and possibly change strategy. It was confusing to think about. Two pawns were moved before Alice flicked over her king. I laughed; the game had taken two minutes.

Jasper played me next and we stalemated. He was impressed. I was put up against Edward and I won. He was so used to reading the minds of his opponents that I confused him. Against Alice I lost, or so she told me, since we never actually played. Emmet gave up a minute in and decided to sling me over his shoulder instead. Despite his seemingly rough movements he never actually jostled my shoulder. My laughing caused me more pain. Edward sat, still trying to pry what I had written from Alice's mind. Carlisle and Esme came down, looking disapprovingly at Emmet. He put me down, apologized and sulked off, to see his wife.

"I thought I told you to take it easy." Carlisle said, pointing to my shoulder. I sighed, feeling scolded too. It was my first real scolding in almost three years. Esme laughed though and hugged me gently.

"Are you really so comfortable around so many vampires?" she said.

"Yeah. You're still people, even if you aren't human." I smiled back. She accepted that. Alice forced us into a game of karaoke again, this time threatening me with what she had learned. I sung every song she threw at me, to the best of my ability, receiving rounds of applause. Edward sung one that made me blush in the darkness of the room.

"You're a falling star, you're the getaway car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And you're the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy but it's kinda cute.

Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true.

'cause you can see it when I look at you.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, you make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word,

You're everything."

I tried not to let the longing enter my eyes, but Jasper's laughter was evidence enough. Edward looked quickly at him and then shuddered; obviously Jazz was also blocking Edward.

When it came time to go home, Edward took me. He picked up my bike in one hand and offered me his other one.

"You aren't going to throw me like your car are you?" this sent Emmet into bales of laughter, I could hear it from outside the house.

"You don't trust me?" he asked back. I took hold of his hand and he slung me onto his back. I held on, with one arm and locked both of my legs around him. And then he was running. It took seconds to get to my house. He stopped, putting my bike down. I couldn't move. I felt sick, I was dizzy and a little terrified.

"You can let go."

"I think I need help." I said. Edward laughed and gently put me down. I promptly collapsed. Edward caught me, holding me close to him.

"Bella? Are you alright?"

"Motion sickness, I think." I was fighting the urge to not throw up. Standing in his embrace helped to calm me a little. After a few minutes, I felt okay again.

"I'm good." I said pulling away from him. "So tonight?"

"I'll come and pick you up."

"You're going to do _that_ again aren't you?" I said.

"Yes. I love running. Maybe next time you should close your eyes."

That night he appeared at my window. I sighed and climbed onto his back again, keeping my eyes firmly closed. We got to his house and went straight around back, to his room. Alice was there. She looked happy.

"Bella! Guess what?"

"You're going to force me to go shopping again?"

"I will, yes, but only because we have prom coming up! The school will announce it tomorrow!"

"I'm not going." I said, waves of fear crashing through me. Jasper appeared by my side in a second, confused. I was still on Edward's back. He dropped me gently on the bed and I stared determinedly at the floor.

"Bella?" Jasper asked. Waves of calm and happiness coursed through me. I bit my tongue. I wasn't going to tell them why. Not tonight, not ever. I stayed quiet until Alice sighed.

"Alright. I trust you Bella. Not this year then. Promise me someday though?" she asked hopefully. It was unlikely, but I nodded anyway. She and Jasper left, leaving me staring at the floor.

"Not for the first time, I wish I could read your mind." Edward sighed. His hands reached forward to grab mine, then he restrained himself and went to sit at the piano stool.

"Any requests or am I given freedom?" he asked. I remained silent for a moment, until I was sure I could control my voice.

"Hold me." I asked, so softly I thought he didn't hear it. I looked up, to see his shocked, confused expression. "Please?" I mouthed. Edward carefully stood and sat beside me. His arm snaked around, resting gently under my sling. I lay my head on his chest and we sat there beside each other. I could feel his cool breath on my hair. He ever so tenderly rested his chin on my head. I sat there, wanting to tell him the story, the sad story that would haunt me for life, but I was unable to find the words to begin.

"I want to tell you, I really do...but..."

"But you also don't want to tell me. The fact that part of you wants to tell me at all is enough." He whispered back. I smiled.

"The lullaby again. Does it have a name?" I asked. Edward let go of me and I climbed into his bed, getting comfortable.

"No. Well, it does, but I don't want to tell you it. And yet..."

"You do as well." That made us even for tonight. I lay down and closed my eyes as the sweet familiar melody began to fill the room. My dream had changed, yet I think I liked this one more.

We were sitting in the middle of the field, our backs to the Volvo, staring at the stars. The car stereo was playing the lullaby. Edward sat, with his arm wrapped around me, his chin resting on my head.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too Edward." I whispered back.

I sat, unable to comfort her, but unable to not. I wanted so badly to destroy every demon that scared her, every nightmare, and every bad memory. I rested my chin on her hair.

_She's feeling calmer. Torn still, but not afraid anymore. She's also feeling very..._ I heard a loud thud and jasper say "Ouch Alice!" _...very um...sleepy._ He changed.

"I want to tell you, I really do...but..." she stopped. I knew what she felt. I often felt the same way, only ever around her though. When she finally lay down to sleep I heard her sigh and wondered for the umpteenth time what she was dreaming about.

"Jazz?" I asked.

"She's incredibly happy." I heard him say back. Bella whispered my name and I smiled sitting beside her.

"I love you." I whispered to her. I began stroking her hair when she whispered her reply. I couldn't describe the feelings I felt at that moment, but Jasper suddenly swore violently; I was overwhelming him. I think I was blissful, ecstatic, and full of longing. I was also cautious, sad and wary; I was a danger to her – we all were. But that small pessimistic part of me was drowned out, by the overwhelming love that poured suddenly from my soul. I wasn't aware anyone could feel so wonderful. I bolted upstairs, crashing into Esme. I swung her around and around, she could tell I was happy, but she had never seen me like this before. When I put her down I found Alice, hitting her, for she finally revealed what Bella had written on the computer. I couldn't think of anything serious to say, so I remained ridiculous.

"Blue silk?" I asked. She laughed in response. I found Emmet and tackled him, for no reason other than to be doing something, expelling the sudden energy I had. We rolled around on the floor until I kicked him. He flew through a wall. Esme and Carlisle were suddenly there, furious at me. But I didn't care. I was smiling like a maniac and trying not to. Esme couldn't stay angry at me, not when I was so joyous, and Carlisle was smiling too, amazed at my light-heartedness.

_You really love her don't you?_ He thought.

"More than life itself. More than the sun, the moon, every star in the sky, every colour, every blade of grass, every song, every drop of water. I love her more than is vampirely possible." I said.

Esme looked like she was about to cry, although she physically couldn't. She hugged her mate and I heard Jasper complaining to Alice about the headache I was giving him. I went and found Emmet and Rosalie. She looked at me, surprised by my reaction.

"She loves me." I said, feeling ridiculous and not caring. She looked at Emmet, her love, and immediately understood. She stood and hugged me and I gave her the same treatment I gave Esme. I swung her around and around until we crashed into the dresser. Esme shot upstairs and took me by the shoulders.

"Go outside if you have to. Quit breaking my house." She warned happily. I shook my head and tried to calm myself. I walked downstairs, at a human pace and back into my room. Isabella lay there, looking happy, quiet, beautiful as ever. I sat at the piano and began composing another piece. This one was much happier and just as beautiful as the other one.


	7. Chapter 7

BPOV

BPOV

When I woke up Edward looked different. Not physically. Physically he was just as perfect as he had ever been, except for the fact that he had what looked like plaster in his hair. No, his posture was relaxed, excited, his eyes were overflowing with that emotion. I recognised it now. It _was_ love. It was the same way Renee and Phil looked at each other, the same way Alice and Jasper looked at each other. He seemed so exuberantly happy, yet he was trying to appear indifferent.

"Have a good night?" I asked.

"Yes." He replied simply.

"What did you do all night? Since you don't sleep?"

"I played the piano. Composed another piece. Wrestled with Emmett, annoyed Jasper." He listed, smiling. I sat up frowning.

"Composed another piece?" I suddenly realised why the lullaby had no name. "You wrote that lullaby didn't you?" I asked. He looked at me, smiling his dazzling smile again.

"I wrote it yes. For you." He shrugged casually. My heart flipped and I tried to contain the emotions running through me. I heard Jasper curse loudly.

"One was bad enough! Now both of them are at it! I'm going to throw up!" I had to laugh. Edward looked at me questioningly.

"I have no idea what he's talking about." I said. Edward laughed. He stood up, still happy and took me by the hand.

"Time to go home and wake up." He pulled me carefully up the stairs. We passed Emmett, who was plastering a wall.

"Dare I ask?"

Edward laughed and shook his head.

"It was my fault. Remember I said we were wrestling?" Edward looked so ecstatically happy that I had to smile. His mood was practically infectious. He slung me over his back and within seconds we were at my house, standing outside my bedroom. He let me down and opened the door for me. I hesitated.

"What happened last night?" I asked. His smile didn't budge.

"Nothing in particular."

"Okay you are starting to scare me." I admitted. His face fell.

"I'm sorry."

"What happened?" I asked again. Edward took a few deep breaths, staring at me.

"You know you talk in your sleep right?" he asked carefully. I felt my face go hot. What had I said, now, especially, since my dreams were of Edward? He smiled at my reaction.

"What did I say?" I asked. He smiled again.

"Well, on the weekend with the sleepover, you didn't say anything. The night you were drugged you didn't either. Wednesday night you were talking about a ghost piano and the tune being familiar. The next time, you said my name. When you were asleep on Saturday night you also said my name." He stopped, unsure if he was to go on.

"And last night?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"You said you loved me." He answered. I stood there, my face hidden by my hair. I was glad it was out, at least I didn't have to hide it anymore, but how did he feel? The answer had been evident for a while now. He loved me. Edward loved me. That was why he was so happy this morning. Why he looked so elated at being alive.

"So now you know." I said, still not looking up. "How do you feel?" I asked hesitantly. He laughed, taking my face in his hands. He kissed me then, passionately, gently, lovingly, like he had been waiting for years to do so. My heart pounded in response. My blood boiled and everywhere we touched, that strange electricity tingled through us. I felt safe, I felt loved, I felt whole. He pulled away briefly, then began kissing along my jawline.

"I...love...you...more...than...you..could...ever...realise." he said, putting kisses between words. I could do nothing but gasp, my breath coming quickly. He pulled away again, to stare at me lovingly. I reached up, resting my hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer again. Our foreheads and noses touched, leaving our lips free.

"I love you too, more than you could realise." I whispered. We stood like that, breathing in each other's scents, enjoying the warmth of the sunrise, through the trees. His eyes were excited, in a bloodthirsty way, but also in a very human way. They were nearly black, rimmed with dark gold.

"You need to feed, hunt, eat, whatever you call it."

"Hunt, usually." He whispered back. "I'm going tonight, with Jasper. It's easier to be around you when I'm not thirsty." I nodded and suddenly he stiffened. "Ali is coming downstairs. I have to leave." He tried to pull away and I followed him. He laughed his musical laugh.

"I'll drive you to school. I promise." He said and disappeared. I stumbled inside, still trying to clear my head. I said good morning to Ali and got showered and dressed. By breakfast I felt normal again. I was talking with Ali and Pete when the doorbell rang. I calmly walked to the door, despite my anticipation and opened it. Edward was standing there, casually leaning against the doorframe.

"Need a ride?" he asked. When we got to school I noticed a red convertible in the parking lot. Alice, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie were all climbing out of it. Alice looked at me and smiled, she had obviously seen what had happened. The rest looked oblivious.

"Do they know?" I asked.

"They saw my reaction last night. But they don't know about this morning, not yet anyway, though Alice looks ready to spill."

"Isn't she always?"

The day passed by at a snail's pace. I was half ready to go to sleep to have something to do. English class was reading and researching parts of Shakespeare plays. Trigonometry was more formulas and questions, however halfway through the class a piece of paper mysteriously appeared on our desk. Edward had barely moved, but it wasn't Alice, cause she was scowling at Edward. I opened it to find a sheet of music. I stared at the notes, humming them in my head and realised that it was the lullaby. At the bottom of the page, in his elegant writing were two words: Isabella's Lullaby. I tucked the page into my binder and found a blank piece to draw on. I sketched Edward, in all his magnificence, standing innocently with his hands behind his back. It was when I told him to not touch my sketchbook. Alice laughed at the drawing, yet delivered it for me anyway.

In Spanish Rosalie kept handing me notes.

**I'm sorry.** **I didn't mean to offend you or anything, but I'm worried. You have become, quite literally the most dangerous threat to me and my family.**

"But who could get any information from me when I'm asleep all the time?" I whispered. She laughed. At lunch I sat across from Edward, same as usual, except this time I blushed whenever I looked at him. So I stopped looking at him and concentrated on eating. I was swallowing a French fry when Edward rubbed his foot up my leg. I coughed and the fry came back up, scraping my neck. I swallowed again and then coughed a dozen times, trying to clear my throat again. Emmett thought I was choking for no reason again and slapped me on the back. With my shoulder that hurt. When I was calm again I glared at Edward. He looked apologetic, and slightly concerned as I rubbed my shoulder.

How was I supposed to get him back for that?

Walking into Biology I had my inspiration. Ben was playing with two magnets, pushing one around the desk with the other, trying to force the two positive charges together. I sat beside Edward and he went to grab my hand. I moved it away. He tried to slide closer and I leaned away from him. When he moved away again I leaned back. I was smiling the whole time, so he knew I wasn't serious, but it still upset him. At the end of class he tried to hug me and I backed away. He was starting to look hurt.

"Do you think that's enough payment for nearly killing me yet?" I asked. He scowled.

"When you moved your hand away the first time it was enough. I practically died. Again. Then you repeated the excruciating exercise again and again." He honestly looked tortured. I slid my hand around the back of his neck and pulled him into a quick kiss.

"Better yet?" I asked. He smiled and thought about it.

"Not quite." He said. I pulled him into a slightly longer kiss.

"Better yet?" I asked. He closed his eyes and inhaled, breathing in my scent.

"Much. Thank you doctor."

We walked to Gym and I sighed as I sat down, outside. We were swimming. Well they were. My shoulder prevented me from doing anything. I sat and watched as Alice and Rosalie came out of the change rooms. All the girls were required to wear one-piece swimsuits, the boys all had to wear regular swimming shorts. Alice and Rosalie looked fantastic. They came and sat beside me almost instantly.

"Are you okay?"

"Bummed that I can't swim." Alice looked sad, then she blanked out. I had learned that this was because she was having a vision.

"Oh he will pay. Bella, I suggest you take off your iPod." I did, tucking it into my bag, still looking questioningly at Alice. She smiled and walked off. Rosalie sat there with me.

"I hate it when she does that." She complained, then stood to follow her. Then Edward slipped out of the change room, followed by Jasper. My breath caught. Every inch of Edward was muscle. His arms, his back, his calves, his chest. He was ripped, seriously. He saw me and smiled, taking a detour to see me. Jasper was the same; very muscular and drop-dead gorgeous, but he wasn't Edward. Edward sat beside me, hiding me from the harsh sun. I leaned slightly around him to see Alice look quite appreciatively at her lover.

"Oh I'm sorry. Am I blocking your view?" Edward asked.

"As a matter of fact yes, but I don't mind half as much as I should." I admitted. He seemed confused. "You, Edward Cullen are a living Greek God. I just have to decide which one."

"Your perception of me is ridiculous."

"I could say the same thing. Why the hell would you want me?"

"Because you are the most beautiful, loveable, spirited, bad luck magnet I have ever seen." That sent me into fits of giggles, and blushes. It was then that the teacher called order. I watched the class with a disinterested posture, although I was very interested in Edward. I found a few sheets of blank paper and began sketching his physique. Every muscle, every feature, until I had a picture that looked like a sketch from a Greek myth. So I erased his legs, drawing instead a centaur. I had to laugh by the end. It looked fantastic. I drew Rosalie as a wood nymph. I drew Alice as a faerie. I drew Jasper as a merman. The inspiration from that came when he wrapped his towel around his legs. It was then that I dropped my pencil. It rolled to the edge and hovered half and half over the water. I stood quickly and bent to get it. Tyler and two of his buddies had been roughhousing. Tyler got pushed backwards and he slammed into me. As I fell in, my shoulder whacked the side of the pool. Three things went through my mind.

How could so much disaster follow one person?

How could so much pain result from one injury?

How could Alice not tell me this was coming?

All of my air was let out in a scream of pain, under the chlorine water. Tyler was already up at the surface. With no air in my body, my heavy clothes and my downward momentum, I kept sinking. I tried to right myself, but my shoulder kept sending flashes of pain. Blackness began eating away at my vision again, as a burst of bubbles shot towards me. I felt cold hard lips press against mine and suddenly my lungs were filled with air. I was staring into Edward's eyes. He pulled me back up to the surface and out onto the tiled deck. I lay there breathing heavily; my shoulder was really killing me.

"Bella? Can you hear me?"

"Shoulder." I managed to gasp. Edward lifted me up, cradling me in his arms, he took me to his car and placed me in the front seat. He drove me, at a hundred and twenty miles an hour, to the hospital. He carried me again, straight inside, despite my protests. Flashes of colour were still bouncing across my vision and my shoulder was in excruciating pain. I was biting my lip to stop from screaming.

"Carlisle." I heard Edward mutter angrily as he laid me on a hospital bed. I tried to sit up, but Edward's cool arms were holding me down. "Don't move Bella."

Carlisle immediately began checking my shoulder and got me to a different room to run more tests. All of the healing I had done since the dislocation had pretty much been undone. My muscles were stretched again and I would have a fresh set of bruises. Carlisle set me up with an IV and my head began to swirl. I closed my eyes, seeing his disbelieving face as I sank into unconsciousness.

I was talking to Alice when she straightened and frantically searched for Bella. She was retrieving her pencil when Tyler fell, crashing into her. They both tumbled into the water, and I saw Bella's shoulder smack the side of the pool as she tumbled into the sparkling water. Tyler was already back up at the surface. But I could see Bella still sinking. She had heavy clothes on, was one armed, and probably in pain. I ran to the side, cursing the human speed at which I was forced to use, and dove in. She was nearly at the bottom, her eyes closing and her arm and legs flailing. I quickly forced all of the oxygen I had in my lungs into hers. Her eyes opened a little more. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to the surface, catapulting us onto the deck. She lay, practically unmoving, gasping in pain.

_She needs to see a doctor. Take her to the hospital, I'll explain to the teacher._ Alice thought frantically. I picked her up, carrying her to my car. I drove quickly, more quickly than usual. Why hadn't Alice seen it sooner? Or had she? Was Bella seriously hurt? What if she swallowed too much water and wasn't breathing properly? But when I looked over at her she was gasping, clutching her shoulder. I sped up a little more as the car's engine whined in protest.

When we got to the hospital Carlisle was already on his way.

_Alice called. How is she? Why the hell can she not stay out of trouble?_

"Carlisle." I warned.

_Nearly there._ I looked at Bella. She was tearing at her lip, probably to stop from screaming. She tried to sit up, but I held her down. "Don't move Bella."

Carlisle had her under scanners for the next few minutes. He attached an IV to her arm, explaining to her what had happened.

"You've undone all of the healing since the physical dislocation, and then some. You're going to be in here for at least a few days Bella. Some of your muscles are stretched and your shoulder will have some incredible colours on it by the end of the day." _Edward, she's going to pass out now, she'll be out for the rest of the day and probably until the morning. You should go back to the school, get changed, get her things, call her guardians, let them know it's alright._

"Dr. Cullen to emergency room six." Carlisle cursed the speaker and ran off. I wanted to stay with her, but Carlisle was right. Before I left I kissed her again. When I returned, only an hour later she was dressed in a hospital gown, lying under the blanket, with a fresh sling on. Her hair was still damp, and she smelled of chlorine. I sat beside her, watching her peaceful face.

Ali and Pete arrived shortly after.

"What are we going to do with her?" Pete asked the ceiling.

"Medically induced coma perhaps?" Carlisle suggested, joking.

"That works. She couldn't hurt herself then."

I ignored them, trying to focus on her. Ali came and sat beside me. She rested her hand on my shoulder and I looked questioningly up at her.

"You really care for her don't you?" she asked. I didn't answer. I didn't need to. The look in my eyes told her everything she needed to know. Bella was still unmoving, not even her eyes were flickering; she was literally in the deepest of all sleeps. It would help to heal her shoulder, again.

The hours passed and Ali and Pete went home. Alice and Rosalie popped in and out too. Alice looked extremely guilty.

"Edward. When the lesson first started I saw Tyler splashing water all over her, so I told her to put away her iPod. Then we just continued with the lesson. She didn't decide to fall into the pool, and Tyler didn't decide to crash into her, so I literally didn't see it happen until seconds before." She whispered quietly.

"I don't blame you Alice."

I sat watching her. Sixteen hours after she had been submitted, she began to stir slightly. She began to dream again. Her mouth began whispering an unspoken conversation. I then realised that she had a large bruise developing on her neck. It was where she had hit the side of the pool, or was it perhaps, in my haste in pulling her back to the surface, I had hurt her? I felt sick at the thought. It was far too easy for me to hurt her. One moment was all it took. If I lapsed in concentration for merely a second I could kill her, simply by accident. I had to stop what I was doing. I had to let her go. If I ever hurt her, I couldn't live with myself. I walked out of the hospital before she woke, taking Alice and Rosalie with me.

When I woke up, I was alone. My shoulder didn't hurt anymore, but my vision was swirling. I realised I had an IV in my arm and was incredibly tempted to rip it out. I was actually in the process of doing so when Carlisle came in and stopped me.

"Oh no you don't. You need to sleep a little more young lady." He said smiling, though he looked sad, worried. The medication began to make me slide out again and I whispered two words before I fell asleep again.

"Where's Edward?"

The next time I woke up, the IV was out of my arm. I could almost think clearly. None of the Cullens were there. Not even Carlisle was around anymore. I had a short, old doctor instead. By the time I was able to get out of the hospital, I was worried sick. I went home, not allowed to go to school. On my bed was a note.

Bella,

I am very sorry for all the pain and discomfort I have caused you. I have come to realise that because of what I am, we can never be together. To make this easier, we've all gone away for a while. I am truly sorry. I love you, forever.

Be safe.

Edward

I collapsed onto the bed. I didn't move until Ali came down. Not even then, willingly. She called for Pete and he carried me to the car. They got me back to the hospital and I lay there still. Days passed. I wouldn't eat, I wouldn't sleep and I was trying so hard not to think.

Everyone I loved left me. Always. First my mother, deciding to run off with Phil. Then my father, though that was my fault. My friends, because of what happened to my father. I had tried to resettle. I had fallen in love again, with Alice and her brothers and sisters, with Edward. And now they had left too. It would only be a matter of time before Pete and Ali did too. The doctors kept whispering words like 'catatonic' and 'severe depression'. Not to me, but my lip reading ability was useful in some situations. I read Ali talking to my mother.

_How soon will the plane land?_ My mother was coming. Odd. Why would she do that? I lay still, unmoving. My mother did arrive, though I couldn't know when. I had lost track of the days.

"Oh Bella!" I didn't even blink. "Please wake up! You can't do this! Not again, please!" Again? I had done this once before. After Charlie's death. I remained practically catatonic for a few weeks, until my mother threatened to call a psychotherapist. I wondered how long I had been out. I couldn't remember quite why though. Whenever I began to try and remember, new flashes of pain hit me, and I retreated into the safety of my mind again. My mother did call a psych this time.

"Isabella, isn't it?" he asked as he sat down. I stared at the ceiling. I was faintly hungry.

"Isabella, what is wrong?" I stared at the ceiling. He was annoying.

"Isabella, would you like me to tell you what I think is wrong?" He kept repeating my name. Why? "I believe that you have begun to absorb the reality of your past situation." What was he on about? "I believe you are realising just what emotional toil the rape took on you. Your father's death was tragic, as was your rape, but you ran from it. I believe that now it's coming back to haunt you. You've been running from it for too long." My breath began to come quicker. How did he know? What did my mother tell him? He knew nothing. Nothing. Anger and frustration began to fill me. I turned my head to look at him.

"Shut up." I said. He blinked.

"You have been running from your past for too long Isabella. Open up, it's healthier for you."

"Shut up." What kind of therapist was he? Why the hell would he be provoking me?

"Tell me, what you're feeling right now Isabella."

"SHUT UP!" I screamed. He flinched, but persisted. He came closer to the bed, standing to my left.

"You're angry. You're scared. You have nothing to be scared about Isabella." Therapists weren't supposed to make assumptions. They were supposed to listen. Not talk. Not provoke. He opened his mouth to speak again and I flung myself out of the bed, ripping the IV from my arm. I ran, barefoot amongst crowds of people. My shoulder bumped against people and made me wince in pain. I could hear my mother calling my name, I didn't care. I ran from the hospital, still in the gown .We were near the ocean, and even one handed, I could swim faster than I could run. I jumped into the water, dodging children and tourists. I began to swim, quickly and painfully, but effectively.

Edward's house was the closest to the hospital. I climbed out of the water and ran to his house. No one was there. I found the door near Edward's room. It was locked. It was also glass. I picked up a large rock and hurled it at the reflective surface. It shattered and an alarm began to sound. I ran to his closet, grabbing a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. I slid them on, quickly and grabbed a pair of sneakers. All of the items were too big, but I didn't have the time to look for Rosalie or Alice's rooms. I ran out again, hearing the broken glass crunch under my feet and I disappeared into the forest. I kept running, heading in the general direction of Pete and Ali's house. It was getting darker now and I could barely see anything. I could hear the police cars out front of our house. I snuck into the back, finding the secret stash of granola bars and cash I had hidden under my bed. I also grabbed the pepper spray from my dresser and began running again.

Outside in the forest I couldn't see, so my pace was considerably slower. I kept walking and walking and walking until I reached a road. The nearest sign told me that heading in the direction I was going would take me to a motel. It was a while away, but it was a destination. I winced at my right arm, the needle had torn the skin a little. A car eventually stopped.

"Miss, are you lost?" an elderly man asked. He had very large glasses on, making his eyes look like bug eyes.

"No, I'm trying to get to the motel down the road, but I've still got a while to go yet."

"Come in the warm. It looks like it's going to rain. A motel you say? Direct me to it and we'll be off in a jiffy." He said kindly. I got into the car and thanked him. He drove me to the motel, singing to some oldies song on the radio. I offered to pay him for the ride but he refused.

"Have a good night miss." He said and drove off again. By then it had started to rain. I walked into the front and asked for a room. They gave me it and I paid upfront. As I walked to my room, I noticed a man staring at me incredulously. I realised how odd I must've looked.

I sat, dripping on the bedspread, staring out of the window, when I got to my room. I sat, watching the television. They hadn't reported me missing yet, but I wasn't planning to still be here when that happened. I lay down, trying to sleep, but it didn't work. So I stared at the ceiling for the rest of the night.

"What?" I yelled at Alice. We had been gone for three weeks now.

"In an hour she's going to run, screaming from the hospital, dive into the ocean, swim to our house, break the door, steal your clothes and run off again. I don't know where she goes. The next vision I had she was lying on a bed somewhere and someone was breaking into the room. There's nothing after that." She replied nervously. Carlisle immediately called the hospital.

"It's Dr. Cullen. Tell me, why is Isabella Swan still in the hospital?" He listened to the answer and then put his head into his hands. This was all my fault. I had told Alice not to look in on Bella. It was lucky she had had this vision at all, lucky they came naturally, however hard she tried to block them. Carlisle hung up the phone and I read his thoughts.

_She entered a catatonic state shortly after she arrived home. Since then she's been lying in the hospital in a vegetative state. The doctors couldn't find anything physically wrong with her. Her mother came from Phoenix and called a psychotherapist. Whatever he said to her, it sent her over the top. She ran from the hospital moments later, and now they can't find her._

"I have to find her. It's my fault."

"Yes Edward Cullen it is your fault." Alice said.

"You told her you loved her, then tore yourself harshly from her life, while she was unconscious in the hospital, like a coward." Rosalie spat. I growled at her.

"You know why I left!"

"I told you it was a stupid reason." Emmett sighed. Carlisle was still looking at me.

"It's your decision Edward." Esme said.

"I have to find her."

"We all do. We love her as much as you do." Alice corrected. So we began the long run home. I was ahead by miles, but I couldn't move fast enough to get to her. What had I done?

I finally drifted off to sleep. I was only half asleep though, so I heard the scratching at the door. I ignored it, until I heard it open. I sat up in alarm. A janitor walked in, pushing a cart. He stopped, and looked at me.

"Sorry. You must have the wrong room." I told him. "I'm staying here tonight."

He looked around. "Alone?" he asked. The voice was somehow familiar. My stomach began to feel uneasy.

"My boyfriend went to get us dinner." I lied. The janitor took off his hat and my heart stopped.

"Now that's a lie. I saw you check in, all alone and flustered looking. Bella my love, I've been looking for you for so long." It was _him._ "I had to stay away from the police, so I left Forks for a while." He sounded like he was apologizing to an old lover. "When I finally came back you'd disappeared."

I hadn't moved from the bed. He closed the door behind him, turning the sign that said 'Do Not Disturb'. I began to shuffle backwards. The room had a window, and a balcony, three floors above the ground. If there was a tree, maybe I could make the descent. Then I remembered my sling.

"Bella, my love. I searched for you for so long, hoping you might come back to me. I began to watch your mother, to see if I could find you. That was when the police eventually caught me. It's alright though. I made bail. We can be together now." Why hadn't my mother told me that? "I followed her here. I was planning to visit you at your house, but you so conveniently ran to me. How did you know I was here? Do you feel the same connection I do?" He was nearly touching me by now.

I was paralyzed by fear, reliving memories as he spoke, the murder, the rape, the endless sleepless nights. He grabbed my injured shoulder, sending pain down my spine and flung me onto the bed. I tried to scream, but he clamped his hand over my mouth. He drew out a knife and pressed it gently to my throat.

"Don't move my love." He whispered, sending shivers up my spine. He took a towel from his belt and tied it tightly around my mouth. He then pushed me further up onto the bed, the knife gently cutting into my skin on my throat. I screamed in shock and pain, but the gag muffled the sound. He threw the knife aside and held down my one good hand, sitting on top of me with the other. Every time I tried to struggle, he struck me, across the face, the shoulder, a quick blow to the neck.

With his unoccupied hand he began to undo the jeans I was wearing. His legs forced mine apart as I tried to struggle frantically out of his grip. A fearsome growl erupted from the window and suddenly my attacker was in the air. Edward stood over me, balancing perfectly on the bed, holding my rapist above his head. He dug his fingers into the guy's throat until they pierced his skin. Blood began pulsing from his neck, landing near, but not on me. I lay, paralyzed again.

Suddenly I was in Alice's arms. She tore the gag off, making sure I was okay. Edward dropped my attacker and stood, breathing heavily. When Jasper arrived he began feeding on the lifeless body. Carlisle, was checking me over too. He brushed his cold fingers over the swelling on my face and the cut on my neck. He took the towel I had recently been gagged with and pressed it gently against my throat. Rosalie and Esme arrived with gasoline and began pouring it everywhere. Edward turned towards me and I sighed in relief. I could tell by his eyes that he wasn't angry with me. He leant down, kneeling beside me.

"Forgive me." He asked. I began crying with happiness.

"There's nothing to forgive." I said. I took hold of his hand and closed my eyes, hoping that this was all a dream. But was it a bad dream or a good one?

As I ran I began hearing his thoughts.

_He was watching her; she was getting dressed for school. She was so perfect, every inch of her, and she was his. That's what he had convinced himself. She went out with her friends, he watched. She went to school and he took his chance. He went into her room, inhaling her scent, imagining her standing with him. He was obsessed. She was everything to him. Every day, since she had arrived in Forks, he watched her. She was in grade eight, ready to move onto high-school. The rare occasions when she got drunk and her father would scold her, he contemplated killing him. He shouldn't yell at perfection. It was the day after graduation and Bella had been celebrating with her friends. They asked her to go with them that night, and she refused; she was grounded after all. Good. That would make it easier. Tonight he would take her. But when he got to the house that night she was missing. He killed Charlie anyway, he was in the way, and had yelled at her before. He was a police officer, he could've shot him easily. So he had to be dealt with. After searching the house he found a note from her friend lying on her dresser. He knew where she was. He just had to wait for the right moment. And it came, she walked practically into his arms._

_And now here she stood, she had found him again. They had a connection. She wanted him, just as much as he wanted her. There was no rush this time; they had the night to themselves._

As his disgusting, terrifying fantasies filled my head I arrived at the motel. I saw my love, frightened, defenceless, fighting off her rapist, once more. I jumped through the window and pulled him off of her. I could've easily broken his neck, made his death quick, but I didn't want to. It was revenge. Revenge for all the pain he had caused her, for her father's death, for her sleepless nights, for her injuries now. I sunk my fingers ever so slowly into his neck. The blood poured from his wounds and his delusional life slipped away. I dropped him to the floor.

Alice was already there, helping Bella, as was Carlisle. Jasper was cleaning up. Drinking the blood from a body made it easier to burn. Besides, he was thirsty anyway. Esme and Rosalie turned up with the gasoline. I stood, wondering just how she would accept me, now that she had seen me kill, mercilessly. I calmed down and turned to her, getting off the bed and kneeling beside her. Bella's eyes were still wide, frantic.

"Forgive me." I pleaded. She began crying. _She's happy._ Jasper informed me, almost done his meal.

"There's nothing to forgive." She said. She grabbed my hand and closed her eyes, drifting into blissful unconsciousness.

I carried her to my next door neighbour's house. We had made sure she was cleaned of blood. We had also fabricated a story. She had swum to my house, where someone had broken in. The robber had beaten her, trying to stop her from escaping. Luckily we had come home at that moment; I had had a few things I wanted from the house. That was what we were telling everybody.

The neighbour saw me, carrying her body. Alice had had fun doing my makeup, to make it appear as though I had struggled to get her assailant off of her. I pretended to be weak from exhaustion. I fell to my knees, placing her on the ground, then 'passing out' beside her.

We were both taken to the hospital in an ambulance. I had conveniently woken before they tried to take my pulse. I convinced the EMTs that I was just tired, from the fight and carrying her body from my house. I hadn't called the Police because our phone lines were acting up and my cell phone was dead.

Carlisle 'treated' me. He gave me medication to take and kept me in the same ward as Bella. Bella got another IV. She was treated for minor injuries; bruises and scrapes, and a shallow wound on her neck. Her shoulder was also re-re-injured. It was never going to get better at this rate. When the immediate rush was over and the Police had taken my statement, Carlisle's statement, my whole family's statements and had an accurate description of the robber, they set out to find him. They were in for a busy night. There was also a pyromaniac that torched part of a motel, just outside of town.

I got out of the bed and knelt beside hers. I kissed her, while holding her hand tightly.

"Who are you?" her mother had walked in, actually surprising me.

"My name is Edward, I'm... I'm a friend of Bella's." I told her. She frowned. "She's quite an accident magnet isn't she?"

"Yes. She always has been. Ever since she was a little girl." I was suddenly flooded with memories, a sweet brown haired two-year old falling down the stairs, or into a pool, or getting lost in a store. I closed my mind, letting Renee recall in private. I still hadn't let go of her hand, when Pete and Ali came in.

"Edward! You look a little less than perfect." Ali smiled.

"I'm alright. I'm just glad he didn't hurt her too badly." I replied truthfully. Ali hugged me gently, knowing the strength of my feelings towards her. If she was _changed_, she would probably have similar powers to Jasper. She was a very charismatic and calm lady, able to pick up on what others were feeling. Carlisle walked in then. He pretended to be mad with me.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen." He warned, I climbed back into the bed grinning. "You'll never heal that way. If you don't stay in bed I'll make them restrain you." I pretended to be upset.

"Dad! I'm fine!"

"Enough." He moved to Bella's side. "She, on the other hand, will be alright, if she gets a few weeks in hospital. She'll practically get out of the hospital and straight into school exams. Edward." He turned towards me again. I was trying to look bored.

"Dad?"

"You could school her. You share Trigonometry, Biology and Gym with her. You can get her Spanish and English notes from Rosalie." Carlisle suggested. Then he turned to Pete and Ali.

"Would that be alright?"

"Ask her mother." They pointed to Renee. Carlisle repeated the question and Renee agreed, if a little reluctantly. My father had just managed to give me a reason to be around Bella in the hospital. Ali and Pete didn't mind me, but as long as her mother was here I needed a reason. Renee, Ali and Pete were all still waiting for her to wake up. It was early in the morning, around five o'clock when she finally woke. I was beside her in a second.

"Hello Bella." I smiled. She smiled back.

"Good. I hoped it wasn't a dream. I wasn't actually sure before." She admitted sheepishly. I leaned in and kissed her. One of the monitors she was hooked to recorded her heart beating frantically, now not only I could hear the reaction I caused. She smiled, her cheeks blushing again.

"That doesn't sound very dream-like."

"Stupid vampire." She sighed happily.

It felt wonderful. The kiss seemed to heal me all over again. I felt warm, safe again, whole. I looked around and saw Ali asleep on Pete, and my mother curled up like a cat. I reached up to touch Edward's bruises. He had some around his eye and other ones around his neck.

"Makeup," he assured me, "unlike yours."

I smiled, though it hurt.

"I have a bedtime story to tell you." I murmured. He sat, curious, his eyes careful as always, on my bed, holding my hand still. It gave me the strength to go on.

"Once upon a time... there was a girl named Bella. Her father and mother had split up ages ago, but her mother, who Bella had been living with, found someone else. Bella felt awkward being around them, so she sent herself to Forks. You've lived there before I remember Jacob's story." Edward nodded. "She was happy, but felt a little restricted, having a cop as a father. So occasionally she consumed alcohol. At fifteen, grade eight Graduation came around and she got drunk on the night of. Charlie got mad at her. The next day he grounded her, for a long time. She was still angry with him, so the next night, she decided to sneak out anyway. Her friends had told her about a dance going on, so she went." I could feel the tears streaming down my face. "Little did she know she had had a stalker, ever since she moved to Forks. In the middle of the dance, she was thirsty. She had left money in her coat and wanted to buy a drink, non-alcoholic this time, or Charlie would find out. In the coat room, was her stalker. He was covered in blood. He..." I paused, unable to find the words.

"I think I know the next part." Edward whispered. I nodded and skipped a little.

"After, that I drove home. I slipped in his blood, landing on his body. He had died protecting me, and I wasn't even in the house. I had betrayed his trust, undermined his leadership, and he died, protecting me." I took a few deep breaths. "If I had been home, maybe he'd be alive, maybe things would've been different..." It was then that he interrupted me.

"I heard this story, but from the stalker's perspective. He..." I could see him trying to soften his words. "He would've killed your father had you been home or not. He didn't like Charlie yelling at you when you chose to have some fun. Had you been there, it would've just made the night finish sooner."

I couldn't believe my ears. But Edward had to be right. I could see in his eyes that he wasn't lying. His beautiful golden eyes. I began crying. I had shouldered so much unnecessary guilt, suffered two years of sleepless nights. He wrapped his arms around me and I around him.

"I don't know how to comfort you."

"You killed him for me. That was more than I could've possibly done. Just being here with me helps too. I love you so much. Please, don't leave again."

"Am I allowed to go to school?" he asked.

"If you must."

"I don't have to. But you do." He smiled impishly. "Besides – you are going to be dead bored in the hospital I promise."

"I'll try and sleep all day so I can stay up with you all night." I whispered back conspiratorially. Edward chuckled and glanced at Ali.

"They're waking up."

"So I'm going to conveniently fall asleep again." I said and shut my eyes firmly. His laughter shook the bed and suddenly he was complaining from the bed beside me.

"Can someone get my dad down here? I'm fine! I want to go home!" he was asking a passing nurse. Ali stood up and kissed me.

"I think you two are an oddly perfect match for each other." She whispered into my ear.

"I can't answer you. I'm asleep. But if I could I'd say 'thank you' because it would mean a lot to me."

"Well then I'll tell you when you wake up." She laughed.

Edward was right. So was Carlisle. So was Ali.

I was dead bored in hospital. I was in hospital for two more weeks. Edward and I did make the perfect couple. I got out on the week of exams. I wrote them and passed them all with flying colours. After exams we had two days of break, and then prom. The day before the prom I finally decided something. As soon as I decided it I heard Alice squeal. It was very early in the morning, I had just woken up, about to go home. She bounded into Edward's room and hugged me.

"Really?" she asked.

"I think so yeah." I answered. Edward had no idea what was going on.

"Ask Ali and Pete and come over around two. You and I have some serious shopping to do!"

I had decided to go to prom. I had five vampires looking out for me. My only enemy had been destroyed. I had nothing to fear, but myself. And dancing. I realised I had missed the entire dancing unit in gym. What a shame.

At two I got picked up by Alice. We drove straight out of town. We drove for almost an hour, and at her speed, I knew we had to be out of California.

"What state are we shopping in?"

"Still California, but I know where the perfect dress for you is. You don't even have to try it on." She was elated. As soon as I saw it I laughed. It was perfect. It was blood red, sort of ironic, considering my partner. It could go strapless, or with a jacket. Considering my sling, we chose strapless. It was simple, not overdone, yet it flowed beautifully.

Edward picked me up, just in time for the prom. He was amazed by how I looked, he couldn't stop staring the entire way there. The dance hall, seemed oddly familiar and flickers of fear sparkled through me.

"How about this?" Edward got out, pulling me out next. We then began to dance right there.

"We can dance here the entire night." He smiled. I shook my head, kissing him, thanking him for his offer. I, slowly, made my way to the door. Edward held it open and I walked in. Jasper immediately calmed me and Alice started dancing with me. Within an hour I was perfectly fine, dancing and having a night of complete fun, with Edward and his family. He whisked me outside before the end of the night, dancing while humming my lullaby.

He and I were meant to be together. I knew that and so did he. I had managed to heal completely, and all it took was a dozen near-death experiences, three hospitalizations, a family of vampires and a psychopath. Edward laughed outright when I told him this. For now we were content, dancing in the twilight.

Every night, that summer he played me to sleep and I lay in his arms until the morning. Most weekends I spent at the Cullen house. Ali and Pete became more like a mother and father to me than they knew. I drew my sketchbook out, and Edward had to buy me another one. I tried to avoid drawing him, I got much too carried away when I did. I danced frequently, I sung, I had fun. Ali and I spent some quality girl time together. I healed and grew, I loved and fell in love, I was happy again, and then some.


End file.
